Saved By Love
by Dreamweaver37
Summary: Danny Williams hates slavery. But when his grandmother dies, she leaves him ownership of a broken, battered, searching, slave who needs a place to heal, and find acceptance. Deciding to provide that will change Danny's life forever. And in the end, Danny may find he needs Richard as much Richard needs them. This is slash-y, and it has an OMC in the form of Richard Speight Jr. Mpreg
1. Chapter 1

Danny Williams flopped back on his couch with a deep sigh.

_9 P.M. and already worn out. _

He sighed one more time, and tugged his fingers through his hair, exhaustion closing in.

_Just a small nap here. Then I'll go upstairs and go to sleep._

But the brief nap was rudely interrupted a few minutes later by the shill ring of Danny's home phone. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled to catch it before it woke up one or both of his sleeping children. He picked up the phone and rubbed a hand over his face as he tried to wake up.

" 'ello?"

"Danny? It's mom. I have some bad news, baby."

A half an hour later, Danny sat on his couch, blinking back tears. He made a sound in his throat that was almost a laugh, but more like a sob.

_Bad things really do happen in threes. _

It had all started three months before. Danny was working a case with Steve when Kono showed up at the crime scene, face pale and stricken, and eyes dark with tears. She gently pulled Danny aside, and motioned for Steve to follow. As soon as they were alone, she spoke.

"Danny, I am so sorry. Chin just contacted me. He witnessed an accident. It…it's Rachel and Stan, Danny."

Danny had gone white then too. He knew if Kono looked this bad, then the accident was serious.

"Just tell me Kono," he managed.

"Danny, they died on impact. A semi hit them head on, and they were both going over 65," Kono told him softly.

Danny shut his eyes and shuddered for a moment as a wave of pain washed over him. Then he suddenly snapped his head up and looked at Kono.

"What about Grace and Charlie? Tell me..." Danny couldn't finish the thought.

"They're both fine. Charlie was at home with his nanny, and they were on their way to pick up Grace at school," Kono hurried to assure him.

Later, Danny would feel a surge of guilt for the relief that washed over him at that. But he knew Rachel would want her little girl and her baby boy safe more than anything.

He had spent the next week arranging funerals, and trying to deal with a grief stricken daughter and a fussy, confused baby. Neither Stan nor Rachel had much family, but it still came as a shock to Danny when he found out that Charlie had been left his care. Along with the house Stan and Rachel owned, and a substantial amount of money.

Danny took the next two months off then. He sold the house, which only held painful memories for Grace and Charlie, and bought a smaller, but comfortable little home where he was surrounded by a large number of Kono and Chin's family. He helped Grace grieve the best he could, and tried to help Charlie get used to having a new daddy, and adjust to the lack of his mother.

It was torture sometimes. Not the work, but seeing the grief and pain in both children's eyes as they tried to adjust to their new world. It just felt too soon for them to know how unfair the world could be.

But they did start to adjust. Slowly but surely life went on. Charlie was so small that a frequent pair of loving arms went a long way is soothing his grief, and helping him settle. And Grace was old enough to understand how thankful she was that her Daddy and her baby brother were still left her. They had bad days, but by the time Danny returned to work, there were more good days than bad.

And now this. His mother was sad, but resigned when she told him the news that his grandmother had passed into the next life. The woman had been a mainstay of Danny's childhood, but he knew that the end of her life had been physically painful, and difficult for her. Death came as a relief to her, he was sure, but it didn't stop his sadness at the loss. He did give a sigh of relief that Grace hadn't known her great- Grandmother all that well, so this blow wouldn't be so severe.

But God, he was so tired. And his heart still hadn't really stopped aching from the loss of his former wife. Danny sighed and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then slowly got back to his feet and headed upstairs to bed. Tomorrow was gonna come whether her felt ready to cope with it or not, and sleep would hopefully go a long way if helping his frame of mind.

"I'm sorry Steve. I feel like I'm gone more than I'm here lately." Danny sighed.

The night before had been rough. Grace woke with a nightmare, as if she knew there was a new loss in her life, and Charlie had gotten Danny up early with sore gums from a new tooth. Now Danny was being forced to ask for yet more time off. He'd barely been back for a month, and he had to leave again.

"Danny. Stop." Steve laid a hand on Danny's shoulder, compassion on his handsome face. Danny and Steve were more than partners; they were close friends; brothers. "You gotta go to your grandma's funeral. No question about it. We'll survive without you for a few days. Are the kids staying with Chin and Kono's folks?"

"No, not this time. Grace really wants to see my mom and dad, and Charlie's teething. He can't handle being away from us that long right now." Danny patted the fussy baby's back as he spoke and Steve offered him the pacifier that sat on Danny's dining room table.

"You need me to come with, brah?" Steve asked.

Danny sighed and shook his head.

"I thought about asking you, Steve, but one of us needs to be doing our jobs. Once I'm in New York, my folks will help me out," Danny assured him.

They hammered out a few more details for Danny's leave, and Steve finally left. Danny worried as he watched his partner head back to Five-O headquarters. He'd had been under an enormous amount of pressure lately, and as tough as he tried to be, he felt like he was drowning a little. He had too much to do, too many people counting on him, and not enough chances to just rest, and recover from the last few months. He prayed silently as he headed upstairs toward his room.

_Let me hang on. Just get me through this and l can take care of things after that. _

_I hope._

"Flight 149 out of Oahu disembarking now. Thank you for flying Hawaiian Air. Have a safe and pleasant trip!"

The perky voice really grated Danny's nerves as he struggled with Charlie's baby stroller, and tried to find a luggage cart to make his life a little easier.

"You got Charlie's bag, Monkey?" he asked Grace.

"Yes Daddy. It's right here. I have your laptop case too," Grace reported.

Danny bit back a curse. The laptop case was far too heavy for Grace to carry, but Danny knew she would do it without complaint. She'd matured way too much over the last few months, and sometimes it made him want to cry, seeing how grown up Grace had been forced to become.

"Oh Monkey, give that to me, baby. I'll take it, and stash it here." Danny shoved the bulky case under the stroller seat, and in doing so he accidently jostled the sleeping baby inside. Charlie woke with a wail, and for a minute, Danny felt a little like joining him. "Aww buddy, Daddy is sorry. Hey hey hey, little mister..here, ya want your paci?"

As Danny tried to calm the screaming baby and get to the luggage carousel to grab their stuff, a woman's voice cut in.

"You seem to need a little help."

Danny was ready to turn and say something incredibly sarcastic about obvious observations when he saw his mother standing there, grinning. He pulled her into a tight hug, and she held him close for a moment. He knew he looked tired, and older, and he didn't miss the way his mother flinched when she saw him.

"Welcome home, baby. Let's get you out of here. Dad is pulling the car around, and have a luggage cart," she said. "And there is my beautiful grandbaby! And my screaming grandson!" she added with a laugh.

"Hi Grandma!" Grace was swept into a hug and Danny lifted Charlie from his stroller.

"He's got teeth comin' in. It isn't making for a real cheerful baby," he explained.

His mother turned, a sympathetic look on her face, and she kissed Charlie's soft, wet cheek.

"Oh, poor little man. Your toothies are hurting you? Come see Gram." She lifted the baby into her arms, and Charlie eyed her suspiciously as she rubbed his back.

Danny quickly retrieved their luggage while his mother watched his children, and when he returned, the cart was stacked neatly, and Charlie looked grumpy, but he wasn't crying anymore, to Danny's relief. His mother was telling Grace about the falling snow and how excited her Grandfather was to see her.

"You got Pop to drive in this, huh?" Danny grinned as he took Charlie and zipped him into a snowsuit his mother handed him.

"Nope! I got your cousin Devin to do it. Dad is with him though," his mother laughed.

Danny smiled a little at that and helped Grace with her coat now. He groaned a little inside as they made their way out of the terminal. He wasn't fond of Devin. His cousin was somewhat arrogant, and self- impressed. Danny hoped they weren't forced to spend too much time together. He was fairly sure his patience wouldn't hold out.

But a few minutes later, his cousin and the flight were temporarily forgotten as he was embraced by his father. He was taken back in time for a moment, and he felt like a small child once again being held safe in his daddy's arms. He let himself escape for a moment, but didn't allow any tears to fall, not in front of his children.

"Hello, Daniel." His father stroked his hair for a moment, understanding.

"Hey Pop. It's good to see you," Danny said, voice husky.

"Look at these gorgeous kids." Danny's father hugged Grace, and stroked Charlie's cheek. "How was your flight?"

"It wasn't too bad. Charlie's got some teeth coming in, and Grace had a little air sickness, but it passed." Danny sighed.

"That's what you get for flying with rug rats." A new voice spoke now, and Danny reminded himself that even Devin was family. He was hugged by a short, portly man with too much cologne then, and he tried to smile. "I'm just yanking your chain, cuz."

"Hey, Devin. Thanks for helping Mom and Pop pick us up," Danny told him.

"No prob, man. I didn't have anything else to do today," Devin smirked.

Danny gave a halfhearted laugh at that, and they hurried to get the children and luggage into a waiting mini-van. Once everyone was packed up, they pulled away from the terminal and headed to the place Danny used to call home.

They pulled up to large brownstone that was covered in ivy and full of window planters about an hour later. Danny had to swallow a lump down then, as memories of his grandmother washed over him. Her home looked the same as it always had.

"We thought you and the kids could stay here, Danny," his mother explained. "We don't much room at the apartment, and Mama always kept a nursery for the children."

Danny sighed a little. He's been hoping for some help with the kids, but he understood his parent's problem.

"Plus, it'll give poor Richard something to do." Danny's dad sighed a little as he spoke, and Danny looked at him in confusion.

"Who's Richard?" he asked.

Danny's parent's glanced at each other.

"Near the end of her life, your Gram did a few… surprising things. The big one was buying Richard," his Dad answered.

"Gram bought a slave? She hated slavery! She said it was the root of every evil society had!" Danny exclaimed in shock.

"Richard came from Alabama, Danny." Danny looked horrified as his mother spoke. "I strongly suspect that Mom bought him out of compassion."

"Well what are you gonna do with him now?" Danny asked, still in shock.

"We don't know yet baby. We'll wait til after the will is read to see if your Gram had any plans for him. In the meantime, he can help you out with the kids. He's a gentle little thing. He took wonderful care of Mama," his mother replied.

Danny just nodded, mind still stuck on the idea of a slave. But they hurried into the house when the fat flakes of snow began to fall.

When they stepped in, Danny's mother called out, and a timid head appeared around a corner. Danny caught a glimpse of caramel colored hair, and the glint of amber eyes before the man hurried out of the house and toward the mini-van to retrieve the luggage.

"Oh! Richard, dear! Put a coat on! And take Devin and Danny with you to help…" Danny's mother sighed. "Too late. He's already gone."

"Eh, don't sweat it Aunt Joyce. I'll go help him." Devin headed out, and Danny started pulling Charlie's snow suit off.

Soon Devin and Richard returned, and Danny finally got a closer look at his grandmother's slave. The word still felt wrong in his mind. Richard looked shy, and refused to meet anyone's eyes. But the glances Danny got of the slaves eyes left him feeling a little odd in his gut. They weren't just amber. They were a deep, glowing amber with flecks of chocolate brown and gold. His hair was soft looking and curled a little around the collar of his shirt. His face was smooth and unlined, and it made determining his age difficult.

"Richard, wear a coat next time, dear. You'll get pneumonia." Danny's mother put a gentle arm around the slave and he glanced at her shyly.

"I'm sorry Mistress Joyce," he said softly.

Danny's mother just sighed, and shook her head a little. Charlie chose this moment to begin wailing, and Danny noticed how Richard's head snapped in the baby's direction, and for moment, he was positive he saw longing in the slaves eyes.

"Oh man. He needs a clean diaper and a bottle," Danny told them.

"Richard, why don't you help Danny get his things upstairs and settled," Joyce instructed.

Richard nodded and hurriedly picked up as much luggage as he could carry. Grace came over and picked up her own pink suitcase, smiling at Richard as she did.

"I can carry mine. I can take Charlie's too. My name is Grace."

Danny noticed once again the longing and sadness that filled Richard's eyes as he looked at Grace. But he for the first time, he smiled, and bowed a little.

"It's very nice to meet you Mistress Grace."

Danny frowned a little at the title but decided to address it later. They headed up the stairs then, and soon they stood in the room Danny had slept in so many times as a child. The wallpaper was a little faded, but the yellow rosebuds he remembered still covered it, and a twin bed stood in one corner, and an antique crib stood in another. There was a changing table and a toy box too, and Danny had to swallow back a lump in his throat as memories washed over him. He felt a little hand slip into his, and he looked down to see Grace peering up at him, her eyes too wise.

"Are you okay, Danno?" she asked.

Danny had to swallow again, but he nodded.

"Yeah, Monkey. Just a lot of memories here."

"May I…may I change your baby, Master Daniel?" Richard carefully placed the suitcases on the floor as he came in and Danny startled a little.

"Oh! Yeah. Why don't you do that. He might yell a little. He's shy with new people. I'm gonna go make a bottle for him, then I'll be right back."

Richard nodded, and this time the eagerness on his face was impossible to hide as he reached for Charlie. Danny noticed how careful and gentle he was, and smiled a little and turned to Grace before he headed downstairs.

"Could you help Richard with Charlie while I grab a bottle, Monkey?" he asked.

"Sure Danno." Grace grinned a little, and picked up Charlie's baby bag. She loved being asked to help.

Danny went down then, and his mother watched as he fixed the bottle. As he mixed the formula, she finally spoke.

"You know Danny, Richard would probably be very happy with you and the kids. He'd be a huge help too."

Danny looked at her is surprise.

"Ma, I can't afford a slave. I mean, I guess I could tap in to my savings to get one, but I wanna hold onto that for the kid's college education."

"I know. It was just a thought. It's too bad he can't go with you. He's just heartbroken over Mom's death. He cried and cried when we told him she'd passed." Joyce shook her a little, chasing away the gloomy thoughts. "You better get that milk up before Charlie goes nuclear. Come back down when you can though, Daniel. Gram's lawyer is coming out to talk to us tonight."

Danny just nodded, thinking over his mother's words as he went. It was a thought that had merit, he supposed. But the truth was, much like his Grandmother, he abhorred slavery. Just because it was legal didn't mean it should be. Many slaves were criminals that got sentenced to slavery, but any children born to that slave automatically became a slave as well. The institution was deeply flawed to Danny's way of thinking, and more and more people in the US were starting to feel that way. He hoped by the time Grace was a woman the institution would be abolished.

He heard voices in the nursery as he approached, and Charlie was quiet, so he paused a moment, smiling a little when he heard Grace talking.

"…Charlie is my half- brother, but when my Mom and Step-Stan died, we both went to live with Daddy."

"I'm sorry, Mistress Grace. You're a very good sister though. I bet your mother is watching from Heaven and is very proud."

Danny sighed a little at Richard's words. Personally, he wasn't so sure about God or Heaven anymore.

"Do you really believe in Heaven?" Grace asked.

There was a pause and a sigh before Richard spoke.

"Yes, I do. Because I have met some very, very good people in my life, and a few very bad ones. I just don't believe that they all go to the same place. Good people get to go to Heaven." Richard sounded sure, and Danny wondered for a moment just _how_ bad the bad people in the slave's life had been. He was fairly certain he didn't want to know.

Danny stepped into the room then, and found Richard sitting in the rocking chair with both Charlie and Grace in his lap. He was rocking them gently, and both children looked tired. Danny just watched them for a moment more, before Charlie spotted his bottle and whined, reaching for his milk.

"Okay little buddy. Here you go. Could you keep an eye on these two for a while Richard? Mom mentioned that Gram's lawyer is coming over this evening to discuss her will, and they don't need to hear about that."

Richard lit up at the request and took the bottle Danny offered with slightly shaking hands.

"I..Of course Master Daniel. Should I prepare them for bed?" he asked.

"Yeah, Grace knows the routine. They're both worn out too." Danny knelt then and kissed Charlie's soft head, stroking the baby's hair for a moment as he sucked lazily at his bottle. "That okay with you, Monkey?"

Grace nodded and yawned.

"Okay. I like Richard," she answered.

Danny grinned at the flushed slave then, and patted his back gently.

"Well there you go. You got the Grace- face stamp of approval. I'll come up to tell them goodnight once the lawyer is gone."

"Yes, Master."

Danny flinched at the master title, but headed down the stairs to meet the lawyer.

An hour later, Danny sat in shock, staring at the older, sour looking man who was reading from a stack of papers.

"B…but I don't even support slavery! I voted to repeal it in the last national poll!"

The lawyer sighed in irritation.

"Nevertheless, your grandmother has left Richard to you, along with the standard stipend she left all her other grandchildren. I suppose if you don't want him, he can be returned to the sale block. He is a Carrier, so he's very profitable, I am sure he'd sell quickly."

Danny almost snarled at the man, but his mother put a hand on his knee and spoke.

"Danny, I think I know why Mama did this. She knew how you felt about slavery. So she knew you would never abuse or hurt Richard. Plus, Hawaii has the kindest slave laws in the nation. My guess is she planned this very carefully. She didn't just do this for you, Daniel. She did it for Richard too."

Danny stopped then, and laid his head back on the couch. He found himself mentally cursing the slave laws once again. It was illegal to just free Richard, unless he was willing to marry him, thus earning him his papers through a union with a free citizen.

"But Mom, what am I gonna do with him?"

Danny's father leaned over and lifted an eyebrow.

"Son, you need help with Charlie and Grace. Richard would be great at that. He's trained in childcare, and the few times I've seen him with kids he's shown a real talent for caregiving. You could let Charlie stop going to the daycare; you said you don't like the place much. And Richard could help with the house. I think he would be very happy doing that."

"Dad, he might be a convicted criminal, I mean he seems nice, I get that, but still…"

The lawyer held up a hand.

"Richard was born into slavery. His mother was taken for her debts. He was born in New York, but sold to Alabama at 13 to take…training." The man seemed a little disgusted by the thought, and they all shuddered. Alabama was known to be one of the worst places in the US to be a slave. They allowed pretty much anything, short of murder. Many slaves who wound up there were housed in brothels and sold at night to the highest bidder. "Your Grandmother had him psychologically tested when she purchased him. He is not violent, and he is no sort of pedophile. Quite the opposite. Richard would most likely die for his Master if they ordered him to."

There was a moment of stricken silence at that, and Danny sighed deeply. Devin shrugged as Danny sat lost in thought and piped up.

"You don't want him, cuz, I'll take him off your hands. I can think of all sorts of work he can do for me. You know how much a baby goes for on the open market? A lotta Carriers make their owners rich."

"Devin, so help me God…" Danny got to his feet.

Devin rolled his eyes then and shook his head.

"Cuz, I was kidding. But I made my point. Obviously you wanna take the guy with ya. Gram wanted it too. He was real good to her, and it seems a little ungrateful to her memory to throw him back in her face. Not to mention Richard's future. Havin' him around made Gram's last days a lot better. We owe him too."

Danny blinked a little, then snorted with a small smile. It seemed his cousin had grown up a little.

"Idiot." Devin winked at him and Danny sighed.

"Alright, show me where to sign."

_Baby mine, don't you cry._

_Baby mine, close your eyes. _

_Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine._

Danny stood in the doorway and watched as Richard rocked Charlie and sang softly to him. The slave seemed a million miles away, and Danny hated to break the spell. Charlie was drifting off, and his eyes drooped and fluttered. Grace was already asleep in the twin bed, and Danny entered softly. Richard looked up when he heard him, and a moment of fear crossed his face.

"I…I'm sorry Master…she was so sleepy. She was just going to lie down for a moment, but the next thing I knew she was asleep. I should have kept her awake, I know you wanted to say goodnight, and I…"

Danny held up a hand, cutting off the frightened babble.

Richard ", don't worry about it. The meeting took longer than I thought. And Grace is worn out. She needed the sleep. You did fine, okay?"

Richard nodded, relief washing over his face.

"Charlie is still awake…sort of." Richard told him.

Danny chuckled, and leaned down to kiss the baby. Charlie's eyes fluttered and when he saw Danny he gave a sleepy, goofy smile. Danny grinned in return and touched his cheek.

"Go back to sleep little buddy." Danny stood up then and stretched his back as Richard continued rocking the baby. "Richard, did my Gram ever tell you what she had planned for you when she passed?"

The slave had blink back tears as he answered.

"N…no, Master Daniel. She just promised she would see that I was cared for."

_Thanks Gram._ Danny thought ruefully.

"Well, she did I guess. She left you to me." Danny watched Richard's face for his reaction.

The slave immediately looked down at Charlie, then at Grace, and his face looked cautiously excited.

"I…I can cook and clean, Master Daniel. I'm trained in childcare too. I…I will work _very_ hard…"

"Richard, calm down, man." Danny pulled up a small wooden chair that child sized and folded his too large frame on it. "Yeah, this is dignified. Listen, I am not real big on slavery. Neither was Gram. I think that's the reason she sold you to me, because she knew I wouldn't treat you like one. I gotta tell you, the idea of owning another human being makes my stomach hurt. I live in Hawaii, and the laws there help make sure people like you are safe, okay? So when you come to live with me, _if_ that's what you want, we gotta stop with the Master Daniel stuff. Titles aren't required in Hawaii and neither are collars, and I don't wanna use either. I mean, you're gonna be helping with my kids, and I don't want them ever thinking they have the right to order you around. Devin had offered to take you too, and if you wanna stay in New York, I'll understand."

Richard's amber eyes were huge and blinked a few times before he answered.

"M…Master Devin is very nice. But I…I would like to go with you and the children, please." Richard answered.

Danny smiled a little then.

"Great. I gotta tell you, I could use the help. I'm a cop on the island, and between work and the kids, there are days I am so tired I can hardly hold my gun, let alone do my job well."

"I…I would very much like to help you then, M…master...I mean…Daniel."

Danny grinned a little stood up.

"We'll work on the Danny thing. In the meantime, why don't we get that baby tucked into bed. I need to hit the hay myself."

Richard rose carefully then, and laid Charlie in the crib, putting a light blanket over his pajama clad little body. He turned then and asked Danny softly,

"Would you like me to help you…relax M…Danny?"

It took Danny a minute to realize exactly what Richard meant, and when he did, he felt a little sick. He put an arm on Richard's elbow and led him out of the nursery and into the room he'd be sleeping in. Before he could get a word out, Richard's hands were on his chest, stroking gently, and dipping lower with each pass. Danny gasped a little and caught them. It had been awhile since he'd been with anyone, and he couldn't deny how attractive the Carrier was. But there was no way this was happening.

"Richard, stop man. Listen to me, okay?"

Richard dropped his hands immediately and looked down at Danny, worry on his face.

"Richard, I do not have sex with someone who doesn't have the ability to say no. That's called rape. I don't care if that person is a slave or not. No one has the right to touch you without your express permission and participation. Okay?"

Richard looked a little shocked, but he nodded, relief on his face. Danny smiled a little and patted his back.

"Go get some sleep. I am dead on my feet and I got a ton of crap to shovel through tomorrow with paperwork and transfer documents."

Richard nodded, whispered a goodnight, and slipped out of the room. Danny quickly stripped out of his boxers then, and went and lay down in his bed. His body was complaining a little that the soft touches were gone, and he told it firmly to shut up.

But God, it took way too long to forget and finally fall asleep.

The next morning, Danny woke up to…quiet. No crying baby, or little girl asking for breakfast. For a moment he panicked, till he remembered where he where he was. He sat up slowly and stretched, then hauled himself out of bed, yawning a little as he staggered to the nursery. When he opened the door, he paused and grinned.

Richard was speaking softly to Charlie as he changed his diaper. The baby was giggling, and wriggling his chubby legs, and Richard chuckled and deftly maneuvered the clean nappy into place.

"My goodness, you are certainly a very wriggly little boy! Has your Daddy been putting sugar in your bottle, hmm?"

The slave's touch was gentle and efficient as he quickly changed and dressed and spoke to Charlie. Danny felt a surge of relief at the visual confirmation of Richard's child care skills. _Hearing_ that Richard was good with children wasn't the same as _seeing_ it, and now Danny had personally witnessed the slave's careful and tender care of both his children more than once. The detective found himself hoping that Richard would be able to make his life a little easier, and a little less stressful. Then he felt a surge of guilt. Richard should get to choose for himself where he went, with whom he went, and how he lived. But Danny knew that wasn't realistic, so he forced down the pang, and reminded himself that as long the man was in his care, Richard would be treated well, and encouraged to become as free as possible.

He cleared his throat then, and Richard quickly turned and flushed a little.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Master, I d…didn't hear you.." Richard stammered.

"Richard, call me Danny, okay? And you were clearly busy. Charlie looks pretty happy there. Has he been fed?" Danny asked.

"Yes, M-Daniel." Richard gave an uncomfortable swallow at using Danny's given name. "Grace and Charlie are both fed and bathed. Mistress Joyce is helping Grace get ready for the funeral. We thought you needed the extra sleep. I..I hope that's alright.."

"Are you kidding me? That is awesome. I haven't gotten more than 6 hours sleep in longer than I can remember. Mom is bringing you to the funeral, right?" Danny asked.

"Y…yes. I…I've never attended one…" Richard chewed his bottom lip, looking nervous.

"Don't worry about that. You just act there like you would anywhere else. We'll all be there with you, so it'll be fine. I'm gonna grab a shower and get around. There any breakfast left?" Danny asked.

"Yes, Daniel. I saved some for you. I'll get it reheated while you get ready," Richard assured him.

Danny nodded his thanks, and got around for the day ahead, trying to not to think about how many funerals he'd been to lately. As soon as he was dressed in a black suit, he went to the kitchen to find Richard talking to Grace and Charlie while he heated food.

"Do you miss her?" Grace was asking.

"Well, I never knew her, Miss Grace. I was only 2 when I was sold, and before that I lived in a slave orphanage." Richard told her.

Grace looked thoughtful.

"I think Danno and Gran are right. Slavery is wrong. Nobody should get to take someone away from their mom," she said quietly.

Richard smiled a little and sat the plate on the table.

"I wouldn't know about right and wrong, Miss Grace. I'm just grateful to have been bought by your family. They are very good people," Richard replied.

Danny stepped in then, and kissed Grace on the head before he sat down.

"You're right, Monkey. Slavery is wrong. But it's the law right now, so we gotta follow it. We'll just do it our way, and make sure we treat Richard like we'd wanna be treated. Right?"

Grace smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Is Richard really coming home with us? Gran said he is."

"Sure is, Grace-face. Sound good?" Danny asked, picking up his fork and digging into his eggs.

"Yes. I like Richard."

The slave flushed at that, looking pleased.

"Thank you, Miss Grace. Would you like me to help you with your hair now?" he asked.

"Danno! Richard knows how to French braid! How cool is that?" Grace jumped out of her seat and hurried to retrieve a brush and pony tail holder from the counter top, handing them to Richard before sitting back down.

"That's pretty cool, Grace." Danny grinned a little at Richard, and the slave blushed again and chuckled.

"I had an owner that had show dogs with long, long hair. I learned to do fancy braids on them."

Grace's mouth dropped open.

"They had you braid the dog's hair!?" she asked.

Richard nodded as he ran the brush through the little girl's hair.

"They didn't have children when I first moved in, and I suppose the dogs were a nice replacement. They were very cute dogs," Richard theorized.

"I don't know, that seems kind of weird to me. Did they ever have real kids?" Grace asked.

Richard went white then, and for a moment, Danny noticed the slaves hands tremble.

"Y…yes they did. They had a pair of beautiful little twins. One girl and one boy. I was sold right after their birth," Richard answered quietly.

Danny felt his stomach drop as he watched Richard's face. He knew that Carriers were often used for their womb. They were very fertile, and childless couples would buy one long enough to have a few children then send the Carrier onto the next family. He couldn't imagine the torture it would be to lose your children like that.

Grace suddenly met her father's eyes, and once again, the too wise expression crossed her face. She looked sad then, and sighed.

"I wish people were nicer," she said.

"Good thing you're nice, huh Monkey?" Danny stroked his little girl's cheek, and she smiled a little.

"There, Miss Grace. You're all done. You look beautiful," Richard told her, clearly straining to sound normal.

Grace stood up and turned, then surprised the slave by hugging him tightly for a moment. He returned the hug after a moment, eyes wet. She hurried to the bathroom then, to check her hair, and Danny looked at Richard.

"They were your babies, weren't they?" he asked softly.

Richard drew a shuddering breath.

"N…no, Master. I was just…just an incubator. They always belonged to Master Donald and his wife." Richard choked out.

Danny stood up, and placed his hands on Richard's upper arms.

"That's bullshit, and I think we both know it. Slavery isn't gonna be legal forever Richard. And as soon as it's illegal, we're gonna find your kids, and make sure they know who their real dad is," Danny promised.

Richard looked profoundly sad, and profoundly grateful for a moment.

"I'm not sure that would bring them anything but pain. I don't ever want to hurt them."

Danny shook his head then, and wrapped one hand around the back of Richard's neck, giving his a gentle tug.

"You're a better parent than they were."

Richard didn't seem to know how to respond to that. Danny just sighed, and returned to his breakfast.

A few hours later, the Williams family all sat in a large Catholic Church, listening as a priest spoke words meant for comfort. Danny had heard it all before, and he fought down a feeling of bitterness for a moment. He glanced over at Richard, who sat next to him, holding Charlie. The slave's eyes were wet, and tears streaked his cheeks. He listened to the priest, clearly absorbing his every word. The detective found himself wondering how the hell Richard could buy all this, after all he had lost, and all he had stolen from him. He caught himself wishing for a moment for blind faith like that.

After the Mass, they headed to the graveyard, and more words were spoken as Danny's grandmother was lowered into her final resting place. One by one, family members dropped a white rose into the hole, covering the casket. Danny saw Devin headed for Richard then, carrying a rose, and he gently lifted the baby from the slave's arms, and handed him to his mother. Devin gave Richard the rose, and Danny spoke softly.

"Go on, Richard. You can say goodbye to her."

Richard looked at all the people gathered, and a look of fear crossed his face. Danny took his hand then, and led him forward, finally standing next to him at the edge of the grave. Richard stared down at it for a moment, then sank down on the cold earth, and knelt one last time to the first human being to show him compassion. He broke down and wept, and Danny knelt next to him, whispering quietly till the slave rose to his feet again, and dropped the rose. Danny helped the trembling slave back to the family then, and his mother hugged Richard close, tears on her own face.

There was a dinner following the service, and as much as Danny wanted to skip it, he knew he was expected to attend. As people gathered, the family greeted them and accepted condolences. When the meal was finally served, Danny led Richard to the buffet, and had him hold Grace's hand.

"Okay, I'll get Grace and I served up. You get yours, and keep an eye on Grace for me, okay?" he told Richard.

The slave paled a little and whispered to Danny.

"I…I'm not allowed to eat with the family."

"There's no law against it, Richard. And today you're family, so if someone doesn't like it, they can take it up with me. Now grab some food." Danny replied firmly.

Richard nodded, and Danny noticed his mother grinning at him as they moved through the line. He could see approval on her face and grinned back a little, and winked.

The meal felt like it was taking forever, and at one point, Richard sniffed at Charlie's diaper and made a face. Danny saw it and laughed.

"He's stinky, huh?"

"Very. His bag is by the coats. May I go get it?" Richard asked.

Danny frowned a little, hating that Richard felt a need to ask, but he nodded.

"Yeah, just leave Charlie in his stroller and we'll take him to the church nursery to change him," Danny answered.

Richard nodded back and hurriedly rose to his feet. Danny turned to speak to his mother, and soon lost track of time. He didn't notice how long Richard had been gone until Charlie made an annoyed noise and wriggled in his stroller. Danny checked his watch then, and frowned.

_How does it take ten minutes to grab a diaper bag?_

He rose to his feet, and pushed the stroller closer to him mother.

"I'll be right back, Mom. I wanna see what's taking Richard so long."

Danny hurried back toward the coat racks, and when he got there, he frowned when he saw no sign of Richard. He grabbed the bag and started back to his son when he heard a whimper, followed by a tear filled voice.

"M…my Master told me I was allowed to eat with t…the f…family! I was obeying…He…he said I don't have to do this anymore!"

It was Richard's voice, and Danny froze heading to the door it came from.

"You ALWAYS have to do this. You're a whore, and it's what you were built for! Uppity little bitch. Now bend the fuck over, or this'll hurt a lot more than you were counting on!"

Danny burst into an office then, and found his cousin's boyfriend, an idiot named Ed, with his belt off, and looped into a whip. Richard's pants and underwear were around his ankles, and his buttocks and thighs were covered in red welts, where he had obviously been whipped. Danny felt his already frayed temper snap.

"Can't believe that little shit gets you…I kissed up to that old bat for nothing. You may not be coming home with me, but I am gonna get a taste of that ass before you get shipped off," the man continued.

"I am gonna kick your fucking head in."

The man spun, and so did Richard. The shame on Richard 's face just ramped up Danny's anger, and he strode in.

More than one person had mistakenly seen Danny's short stature and thought it meant he was weak, or unable to defend himself. They learned in short order how inaccurate that idea was. Danny drew back his fist, and punched the taller man just once. But once was all it took. The larger man dropped like a rock, whining about his broken nose, and Danny stood over him, contempt on his face.

"You should be thanking God I'm not giving you the beating you deserve you bastard! Who the _hell_ gave you permission to abuse Richard?" Danny demanded.

"He's a fucking slave! That's what he's for!" the mam protested.

Danny gave a small, incredulous huff of laughter, then drew back and kicked the man in the ribs.

"Wrong answer, asshole! You're gonna get up, and get your ass out of my sight, out of this church, and away from my family. Am I clear?"

The man glared at Danny and the detective tilted his head and began rolling up his sleeves.

"Fine! Little fucker's probably used up anyway!"

Danny's face grew even darker then and he gave the man another kick. Ed staggered to his feet then, and fled, getting away from the enraged detective without another word.

Danny growled a little as the door shut, then he turned and looked at Richard. The slave was wide eyed, and tear streaked. He was still half naked, and Danny hurried over, and helped him get his pants pulled up. He flinched at the lash marks, and felt his anger spike again when he realized a few were bleeding.

"I am gonna find that fucker and beat him down again," Danny stated. "Jesus… we need to get these looked at, Richard. Some of them are bleeding."

"Oh…oh no, Master…I've had worse. These aren't bad…" Richard stammered out.

"It's Danny, Richard. Remember? And these are nasty. You have to be able to sit on a long flight in two days, so we need to make sure these are gonna heal. C'mon."

Danny wrapped an arm around the slave then, and they headed back toward the rest of the family. Danny's mother rushed to her feet when she saw the look on Danny's face.

"What happened? Ed just took off like a bat out of hell, and he looked like he'd been beaten up!"

Danny filled her in, and horror crossed her face. She hugged Richard close for a moment.

"Oh, Richard. I am so sorry," she said.

"It…it's fine Mistress, just a few marks…honestly…" Richard told her.

"They're bleeding Mom. Can you get the kids back to the house? I'm taking him to get looked at," Danny stated grimly.

"Of course. Go, Danny. Take care of Richard."

The slave looked like he wanted to argue, but the look on Danny's face cowed him. The detective wasn't angry at _him_, but Richard always assumed that a Master's rage would be directed toward him just the same. And he had a lifetime of experience to back up that belief.

A half an hour later, they sat in doctor's office, waiting. Richard was trembling a little. He equated doctors with pain, and fear, and horrible procedures. Danny noticed that the slave was shivering and he placed a gentle arm around his shoulders.

"Hey, there's nothing to be scared of, okay?"

Richard nodded, and tried to speak, but no sound came out. Danny frowned a little, his concern growing, but before he could the door opened, and a handsome man came in. He had a file in his hand and he sighed as he looked at the slave. He held a hand out to Danny though, and smiled a little as he introduced himself.

"Hi. I'm Dr. Dandati. I was your grandmother's physician. I was sorry to see her pass. Nora was a real pistol. I enjoyed getting to know her."

Danny returned the smile, but stress was still clear on his face.

"Danny Williams. I'm Richard's new…owner." The word clearly stuck a little in Danny's mouth, and the doctor looked sympathetic.

"I'm not a big fan of the institution either. Nora brought Richard to me for his after-purchase exam. I was hoping he wouldn't be quite so scared this time." The doctor lay a gentle hand on the slave's knee and spoke softly. "Richard, you remember me, right? Do you remember your transfer exam? It didn't hurt at all, and this one won't either. Okay? I promise, you don't have to be scared."

Richard looked up now, and tears streaked his cheeks, and the look in his eyes broke Danny's heart. He seemed unable to speak, and Danny drew him a little closer, trying to calm him. The doctor didn't rush them, and after a few minutes, Richard was changed into a gown, and Dr. Dandati handed him a cup.

"Richard, my nurse is going to take you to the bathroom and get a urine sample, then a blood sample. Can Danny stay here so we can talk?"

Richard nodded mutely, and the doctor opened the door. A nurse stood on the other side, and she gave the frightened slave a gentle smile, and offered her hand. She was grandmotherly, and soft spoken, and Danny was relieved to see that Richard seemed calmer as he left with her. Once they were gone, the doctor sighed again.

"Bless Nora's heart for getting him out of Alabama. Mr. Williams, we really need to review his file before he comes back. There are some things in here you need to know."

"Just call me Danny. And it's bad, isn't it?"

The doctor looked disgusted.

"Yes. He's been pretty badly abused. Unless he tells us how the injuries happened, all I can do it treat them, and make you aware of them. He's had multiple broken bones, he has scars from cigarette burns and knife wounds, and he's lost partial vision in his left eye as a result of what must have been a hell of a beating."

Danny looked sick and swallowed hard. Dr. Dandati huffed, and anger crossed his face now.

"Sadly, that isn't the worst of it. There is a reason Richard is so afraid of doctors. When he was 12, he had an implant installed at the base of his penis. Basically, it makes sure he can't get an erection, or experience orgasm. It's a microchip that blocks hormone responses. They make an incision to place it, and it has to be placed just right, or it won't work. It generally takes a few tries. Richard was awake for the entire procedure. His owner didn't want the expense of anesthesia."

Danny felt his dinner rise for a moment, and the doctor handed him an emesis basin, understanding clear on his face.

"Yeah. I know that feeling. If you're going to be sick, do it before he gets back."

Danny just sat the basin down and shook his head.

"I'll be okay. I'm guessing you're telling me all this for a reason?"

"I am. I noticed that you listed your home address in Hawaii. Is that where you're taking Richard?" the doctor asked. Danny nodded and Doctor Dandati rubbed his hand over his face for a moment. "That's what I figured. Were you aware that a transfer exam is required to move a slave from one state to another?"

"No. I'm new to this slave thing. I've never owned one, and I never wanted to."

"I know the feeling," the doctor said. "Since you're here, I can do the exam now, and fill out the paper work you need. When you get home and file Richard's ownership papers, they'll need the exam results. When they see it, you're going to be given 30 days to get the implant removed from Richard's penis. They're illegal in Hawaii. They should be illegal everywhere. The damned things are strongly linked to a rise in prostate cancer in slaves, and they inhumane."

"Okay...that sounds like something I would have done anyhow. So what's the problem?"

"Danny, Richard had the implant installed well before puberty. He has never had an erection, an orgasm, or experienced sexual pleasure in any way. He still produces a Carrier's slick, but not nearly as much as he should, and not enough to make sex easy for him. Once the implant is gone he'll need hormone treatments to correct the damage, and his body is going to change in ways he is not ready for. He'll start to feel sexual desire, and that can be confusing, humiliating, and traumatizing for a slave like him."

Danny ran his hands through his hair then, worry eating at him. He had a sudden feeling Richard was going to be a further source of stress for him, and he wasn't sure he could handle it.

"So what do I do? I mean, how the hell do I prepare him?"

"Nora was planning on having the implant removed. The only reason she didn't is because there aren't any therapists in the area that deal with slave recovery. However, there are several top notch doctors in Hawaii that do. Richard needs to see one of them. That will go a really long way in helping him heal from his past," the doctor replied.

Danny slumped a little in relief.

"Okay…that I can handle. My insurance covers slaves, so it won't be a problem."

"One more thing. Richard has given birth. He had a healthy set of twins. Fertility is not a problem for him, and I would suggest some kind of birth control," the doctor told him.

Danny scowled now and his eye twitched a little.

"I am not raping him. I am not about to have sex with someone who can't say no," Danny snapped.

"And I believe you. But Richard is getting therapy, and getting the implant removed. What if he decides he wants to pursue a sexual relationship with someone?" the doctor asked.

Danny blinked a little and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I guess I didn't think of that. I'll get him something if he decides he wants to have sex." Danny decided.

"Good. I really hope that Richard's life gets better. He is about the only reason Nora was able to stay in her own home at the end. Every time I saw her, she was clean, comfortable, and happy. Richard devoted himself to her care. After the life he's led, it's about time karma took notice of him and sent him something better than what he's had."

The door opened then, and the nurse came in with Richard. He was pale, and clutching the inner bend of one arm.

"And there they are. All done with our patient, Janice?" the doctor asked.

"I sure am. He did beautifully." Janice rubbed Richard's back gently.

Danny smiled a little, and patted the exam bed. Richard walked over and sat carefully, still holding his arm tightly.

"You okay?" Danny asked.

"Y…yes." Richard managed.

"He was a little nervous about the blood draw, but he did great," Janice said.

The doctor started examining Richard then, and smiled a little.

"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of needles either. Which begs the question of why the heck I went into medicine," he joked. "Richard, let me see your whip marks please."

The slave got obediently to his feet and turned. Danny flinched again at the sight of the welts, and the nurse huffed a little, irritation on her face.

"Janice, could you get me some Aspercreme?" The doctor spoke to Danny as he very gently smoothed the medication onto Richard's skin. "Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do for welts. This can help with the discomfort, but the best thing to do is keep them clean. They'll go down pretty quickly. I'll give Richard a quick exam while he's here and fill out his transfer papers."

Danny nodded, and the doctor quickly looked Richard over, smiling gently at the slave, and speaking softly to him. When he was done, he patted Richard's back.

"Well, he looks great. His weigh is fine, his urine is clear, and the blood work looks good. Go ahead and get dressed Richard, and I'll get this paperwork done."

Richard scrambled into his clothing as quickly as possible, and when he was dressed, the doctor handed Danny a thin folder.

"Just take this to the registration office in Hawaii. They can help you from there. It was nice to see you again Richard. I hope you enjoy Hawaii."

Richard glanced at Danny and the detective gave him a little smile and nodded.

"Master Daniel has 2 children. I'll be helping with them. I'm sure I'll be happy there. They're _very_ good children," Richard replied softly.

The doctor looked stricken for a moment, and swallowed.

"I'm sure you will be. You love children, don't you…" It was more a statement than a question, and for a minute, Danny thought the doctor's eyes looked wet. Richard flushed at the question, and whispered a yes.

They exchanged goodbyes then, and headed out.

When they arrived at home, Grace came running when they walked into the house. She had tear streaks and she hugged Danny tightly.

"Danno, did someone really hit Richard?" she demanded.

Danny sighed and stroked her hair gently.

"Yeah, Monkey. But he's okay, and we'll make sure that never happens again, won't we?"

"I hope you arrested them, Danno," Grace stated. She turned her attention to Richard then, who stood looking a little shocked. She hugged him tightly, and the slave's face softened, and he cradled her close. "Are you really okay, Richard?"

"Yes, Miss Grace. He didn't hurt me much at all, and your father took me to a doctor."

"Good. Danno is a hero, you know," Grace told him seriously.

"I believe you," Richard said quietly.

Danny grinned a little and patted Grace's back.

"I took care of the problem, Grace. Where's Charlie?" he asked.

"Grandma is trying to give him a bath. It's not going well," Grace answered.

Richard lit up and Danny could see what he wanted. The slave was an open book, and Danny could only imagine how his less scrupulous owners had used that against him.

"Hey Richard, you feel up to helping Mom out? I gotta get some more paperwork around."

"Of course, M- I mean Daniel." Richard hurried up the stairs, Grace on his heels, and Danny sighed a little as he watched them go.

_Jesus. I hope to God I can help him. Cause I don't think he could get more broken. _

With that thought, Danny headed into the kitchen, opening his cell phone as he went.

"Steve? Yeah man, I need your help…"


	2. Chapter 2

_Home at last._

Danny breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled into his driveway. He had just had one of the longest days of his life. Richard was sitting next to him in the car, trembling and wiping tears off his cheeks, and Danny let his head drop back as he reviewed the last few months that led up the afternoon from hell.

_Bringing Richard home had been easier than Danny had anticipated. Having his help for the flight back to Hawaii had made everything run more smoothly, and Danny wasn't so overwhelmed. Steve and Chin had been waiting at the house when they arrived home, and the two of them had prepared a room for the slave. They also treated Richard like a new friend instead of a new acquisition, and by the time everyone was settled in and dinner was being prepared, Richard was glowing, a shy smile on his lips as he cooked. _

_The small family soon fell into an easy pattern. Richard would get Charlie up in the morning while Danny helped Grace get around for school. There was always a hot breakfast waiting, and a carefully, lovingly prepared lunch ready for Grace and Danny. And when Danny came home each night, dinner was ready, and Grace was sitting at the kitchen table, chatting to Richard while he put the finish touches on their meal. _

_Charlie was home with Richard during the day, instead of an overcrowded, expensive day care. The baby thrived on the attention, and it was soon common to see Richard with the tiny, giggling boy tucked into a Snuggli on his chest as he cleaned the house. _

_Danny felt his constant stomach ache ease, and his house was turning into a home. Steve commented a few times on the changes in his partner. Danny was more focused, and he had his edge back, because he knew Richard was at home caring for the kids, and keeping thing running smoothly. There was always food in the fridge, clean clothes in the drawers and closets, and happy children waiting for him. _

_And then there were the warm, amber eyes that greeted him when he walked in the door. Richard always lit up when Danny came home, and would eagerly listen to the details of his day. He fussed endlessly over the detective, and Danny caught himself starting to eye Richard in ways that made him hate himself. A slave couldn't say no, and as long as that was true, Danny would not lay a finger on him. _

_But all things being equal, Danny thanked his grandmother every day for sending Richard their way. _

_There was only one problem. _

_Richard had been registered within days of coming to Hawaii. And the doctor in Jersey had been right. Danny was ordered to have the implant removed. He agreed easily, and was even given a list of good therapists who could help the slave adjust. Danny quickly chose one, and in short order, a gentle faced Samoan man was meeting with Richard for an hour at a time, three times a week. Dr. Manamea even came to the house, so Richard could talk in a place that made him feel safe. _

_And therapy went well. Dr. Manamea explained to Danny that Richard would never dream of withholding his past from him. He was a free man asking a question, and a slave didn't have the right to lie, or protect his secrets. Slaves didn't expect, nor did they receive, privacy. The doctor had chuckled as he explained. He said the best sign they could have that Richard was making progress would be when he started balking at the idea of sharing his inner most thoughts. It was a moment Danny looked forward to. _

_Dr. Manamea had even managed to stretch the deadline for Richard's implant surgery from 30 days to 120. So the slave had a little extra breathing room before he faced his biggest fear. _

_But the 4 months was up. And now the procedure was looming in front of them. They had gone to the surgeon's office that day and had an ultrasound to find the exact location of the implant. The doctor had also explained the details of the operation. She was a kind, patient woman, and she sympathized deeply with Richard. Danny had faith that she would do an excellent job. _

_And none of that made Richard any less frightened. The slave had resorted to begging, literal begging on his knees in the doctor's office, pleading with Danny to stop the procedure. Danny was horrified and embarrassed. He felt like a monster. He tried to explain to Richard that he had no choice, but the slave was inconsolable. In the end, he had to order Richard into the car so they could go home. The doctor told him that this was a normal response, and that everything was going to be fine._

_It was a pretty scant comfort. _

"Richard…" Danny paused, unsure what to say.

"Y…yes, M- Daniel?"

Danny flinched. Richard had finally started calling Danny by his name. But one horrible afternoon had sent them back to Master. The detective reached over and placed a hand on Richard's knee.

"I know you're scared of this operation. I don't blame you. But man, I have literally no choice here. It's the law in Hawaii, and if I don't do it, the Slave Affairs office could take you, and sell you to someone else. But even if they didn't…that thing isn't safe. It causes prostate cancer. It's doing a number on your body. You need to get it removed. You'll be asleep the whole time, and you won't feel a thing." Danny promised.

Richard gulped down a sob, and nodded. Danny could see an ocean of unspoken fear in the slave's eyes though. He reached out, unable to stop himself, and placed a hand on the slave's cheek.

"Richard…talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"I…I…can I be asleep when the doctor tests it too?" Richard whispered.

Danny felt a moment of confusion, then a spike of nausea. Fucking hell…he thought.

"Richard… tell me what happened right after you got your implant."

Richard shuddered at the memory, and trembled as he talked.

"M…my Master left me at the clinic overnight. I slept for part of it. But in the middle of the night, the doctor came back and told me the implant needed to be tested. Then he…he…" Richard wrapped his arms around himself and choked a little as continued. "He…he made me take my clothes off and he…he had…he had his pants off…and he…he made me…"

Danny stopped him by reaching across the car and pulling Richard as close as he could.

"It's okay, baby. You don't have to say it. That bastard raped you, didn't he?" Danny felt the slave nod against his shoulder, and he fought down the urge to give a shout of rage. "Richard, no one is gonna 'test' that procedure, you hear me? I will stay with you the entire time, and if anyone lays one fucking finger on you, I will tear them apart, I promise."

Richard's trembling slowed down then, and he peered up at Danny.

"That was the worst part of the…the operation. It hurt when they cut me, but I passed out so fast, I don't remember much of that. But…but the doctor…he made sure I stayed awake when he…he hurt me," he whispered.

Danny was fighting a losing battle with his temper. Richard had been a 12 year old child when he got the implant, and the detective could almost see the small boy, sobbing for help as a larger, stronger man stole his innocence. He forced himself to look calm, and patted Richard's back.

"Hey, Steve and Chin are with the kids. You wanna go order some dinner and watch them try to deal with Charlie and diapers?"

"Oh Danny, I can make dinner…" Richard offered.

Danny felt a moment of relief that Richard was back to Danny while he shook his head no.

"We've both had a helluva day. We've earned takeout. I'll even get some of that disgusting pineapple crap you like." Danny teased.

Richard flushed, and offered a wobbly smile. Danny helped him out of the car and they headed into the house.

Grace came running when the front door opened, and threw her arms around Danny, then Richard. She was laughing so hard they could barely understand her.

"Uncle Steve is trying to change Charlie, Danno. Somebody better save him, cause he has NO IDEA."

Danny snorted, and Richard hurried toward the nursery. Grace looked more closely at her father then, and tilted her head.

"Danno, what's wrong?"

"Just a long day, Grace. Richard has his procedure tomorrow, and he's nervous about it," Danny replied.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" The worry on Grace's face made Danny reach out and pull his little girl close again.

"Yeah, he'll actually be a lot better off after it's all done. But surgery is kinda scary," Danny said.

"I'll go hug him," Grace stated decisively.

Danny grinned a little as his daughter hurried off. Then he headed to the small gym he'd set up in his garage.

Steve was the one who found him a few minutes later. Danny was already sweaty, and the bag he was punching was swinging on its chain as it took a heavy pounding. Steve leaned on the doorway and waited until Danny noticed and paused.

"So…who pissed in your coffee?" Steve asked.

Danny scowled and went back to pummeling the weight bag.

"No one," he snapped.

"No one? Really, Danny? You're gonna try that bullshit with me? I think I know you a little better than that," Steve retorted.

"It doesn't matter, cause I can't get my hands on the fucking bastard that raped Richard when he was a twelve year old kid! That what you wanna hear, Steven?" Danny spat.

Steve sighed a little then, and picked up the punch mitts and put them on. He gestured Danny over, and the smaller man reluctantly obeyed and started to punch Steve's hands.

"Danny. When are you gonna talk to Richard?" Steve asked.

"About what?" Danny grunted.

"About how you feel."

"And how do I feel, Steven?" There was an edge to Danny's voice that Steve chose to ignore.

"You're falling for him. I know you brah. I've seen how you look at him."

Danny gritted his teeth and slammed the punch mitt harder. Steve's eyebrow went up and he met Danny's glare calmly.

"He's only been here four months." Danny snapped.

"So? The heart wants what it wants, Danny. My father told me once that he fell for my mom in a week. There's a reason you're this angry. And we both know it's because you have feelings for him," Steve told him.

Danny started pulling his gloves off then, and stepped into Steve's personal space, his face a mix of rage and pain.

"So what if I do? Huh? You know what he would say if I told him that? Whatever the hell he thought I wanted him to. He can't refuse me, because I fucking own him, and he's been beaten down so much he can't say no! He was so scared in the doctor's office today he could barely speak. But he never once said 'no'! He fell down on his goddamned knees and begged me to cancel the surgery instead! Now you tell me, smart guy… _how the fuck do I have a relationship with someone who can't choose it_?"

Danny stormed out of the garage then, and Steve watched him go, sadness on his face.

The next morning, Grace was hugging Richard tightly, her face pressed into his stomach. He was stroking her hair gently, and trying to stay calm enough to comfort the little girl he'd grown to love more than just about anything.

"Grace, it'll only be for one night. I'll be home tomorrow, I promise."

"T…that's what…my Mom…said…She was…supposed to come home…and…and…take care of…me and Charlie…but she…n...never did…" Grace sobbed.

"Oh Grace…this isn't the same thing at all. Your mom was in a terrible accident. I know you're worried about me, but everything will be fine, I promise," Richard repeated.

Grace didn't look convinced, but she reluctantly released Richard, and he gently wiped her tears away. Danny came in to see this, and he met Richard's eyes for a moment. The slave was clearly tense, but he managed a weak smile as he spoke.

"Grace is just a little worried about my operation," he explained.

"Awe, Monkey…Richard will be okay. His doctor is the best, and it's a simple procedure." Danny knelt by his daughter and hugged her as he talked.

"I…I know…Can I come to the hospital with you?" she asked hopefully.

"Tell you what, Grace-face. You go to school, and when Uncle Steve comes to get you, he can bring you to see Richard. That sound good?" Danny offered.

"I guess." Grace was clearly not happy with the arrangement, but she didn't argue.

There was a knock on the door then, and Danny felt a moment of relief as he heard it open and Kono's voice.

"Hey brah! It's me and Auntie Mele!"

Kono walked into the kitchen with the older woman in tow, and grinned at Grace.

"You ready for school kiddo?" she asked.

Grace just nodded, and hugged Richard and Danny one more time before she trudged toward the door. Kono watched her, then looked back at Danny.

"She's a little worried about Richard," Danny told her.

Kono smiled sympathetically and scooped up Grace's backpack.

"Can't blame her. It's scary when one of your family has to go to the hospital. I'll talk to her," she said.

"Thanks, Kono," Danny sighed.

"No problem. Good luck today, Richard! You better get well fast, because we all know Danny will fall apart without you here to take care of him," Kono winked as she spoke, and Richard smiled a little, blushing.

"Thank you, Miss Kono."

"Hey, just plain Kono, remember?" she asked.

Richard blushed again and nodded. Kono and Grace left then and her Aunt smiled at Danny and Richard.

"So I get this beautiful boy all to myself today! Anything I should know?"

Richard looked positively miserable now, but he handed her a carefully written list.

"I wrote it all down here. He has baby food I make for him in the refrigerator. He likes his milk warm, and…and…" Richard stopped and bit his bottom lip, tears in his eyes.

Danny wrapped an arm around the slave and rubbed his back.

"It's gonna be fine, Richard. Mele knows what she's doing, and you'll be home tomorrow," he reminded him.

Richard nodded, and carefully lifted Charlie from his high chair, and hugged him close for a moment, kissing his soft cheek before he handed him to Mele. She took the baby, and smiled at Richard.

"I know how hard it is to leave them at this age. But don't worry. I promise he'll be just fine. I'll take good care of him."

Richard offered her a tremulous smile, and he and Danny headed toward the front door. As it closed behind them, there was a wail of unhappiness from Charlie as his two care givers left, and Richard paused for a moment, and choked on a sob.

"He'll be okay, Richard. We gotta do this," Danny said softly.

Richard wiped at his eyes and they climbed into the car to leave.

After a silent ride to the hospital, Danny picked up Richard's bag, and took his hand as they walked inside. The slave was silent throughout his check in, but he clung to Danny's hand, and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

Once Richard was settled in a bed with an IV in place, a nurse came in with a syringe and greeted them.

"Hi, Richard. I'm Melissa, and I'll be your pre-surgery nurse. If you'd like to, I can put this in your IV. It's called Klonopin, and it'll help you feel relaxed, and not so scared. Does that sound good?"

Richard glanced over at Danny and the detective grinned a little.

"Seems like it wouldn't be bad idea," Danny pointed out.

Richard nodded then, and the nurse smiled and injected the medication into the IV line.

"Now this will hit pretty fast, and it'll probably make you drowsy, and it can make a person very chatty. You can just sleep if you want to, and when you wake up, this'll be over." Melissa suggested.

She checked a few more odds and ends, and by the time she left, Richard lay with his head back and was grinning a little. Danny chuckled at the expression on his face and Richard looked over and giggled.

"I feel funny."

"I bet you do" Danny said.

Richard gave a deep, dramatic sigh, and reached one shaky hand for Danny's. The detective tried not to laugh as he helped him out by placing his hand in Richard's.

"Yooouuu…are awful, awful, awful, pretty, Master Danny-with-the-blue-eyes-and-big-muscles. I wish your grandma had bought me and given me to you before all those horrible people touched me. I wouldn't mind you touching me so much…and you make preeeety babies. I'm all dirty now though, and nice people will never want me. When I was little I thought someone would marry me and free me someday and love me forever, but I'm smarter now." Richard paused in his rambling to yawn, and Danny felt frozen by the words tumbling out of the slave's mouth. "I hope you don't get rid of me when you marry some horrible woman someday and break my heart…Dr. M...Ma...Dr. man whose name I can't remember says that my feelings for you mean I'm healing cause I finally trust someone enough to drop my…my…defenses…yeah…defenses. That was the word." Richard yawned again. "I think I'm tired."

Danny cleared his throat and stroked Richard's hair off his forehead. The slave fairly purred as he pressed his head into Danny's hand.

"Go to sleep, Richard. This'll all be over soon."

Richard smiled a little and closed his eyes. Danny sat and stared at him, his brain screaming.

_What the fuck do I do now?_

A few hours later, Danny paced as he waited for Richard to be rolled out of surgery. The nurses glanced at him sympathetically, and one of them brought him a cup of coffee.

"He really is in excellent hands. And he'll be so much better off when that implant is gone."

"Yeah…I know. He's uh…he's just really important to my kids and I," Danny said.

"I understand. My family very reluctantly bought a slave when my father got sick. She's a member of the family now. She's pretty much in charge of the family," the nurse laughed.

"My kids already lost their mom. If anything happened to Richard…"

Danny broke off when the OR doors opened, and the surgeon walked out. She pulled her mask down and waved Danny over. He thanked the nurse quickly and hurried to the waiting doctor.

"Well, that couldn't have gone better. Richard is lucky…there was no scar tissue build up. I only had to make one very small incision, and the implant came right out. He'll be sore for a few days, but it shouldn't be too bad. I want to keep him overnight, like we discussed, but then he'll be discharged in the morning," she reported.

Danny had to fight down the urge to hug the surgeon, and contended himself with shaking her hand.

"Thank you. I am really glad this is over. Can I go see him?"

"Sure. He's in post-op, and he'll wake up soon. It'll make him feel better to see a familiar face."

The doctor led Danny to a quiet room then and Richard lay there, looking pale. Danny went and picked his hand up.

"He should wake up sometime in the next hour. He'll be groggy and a little confused, but that's perfectly normal," the doctor told him. "Nurses will be in and out to check on him, and I'll be back when he's awake."

The doctor left them alone then and Danny sat and watched Richard sleep. A half an hour passed before the slave started to blink a little, and moan quietly as his eyes opened. Danny quickly stood up and picked up his hand.

"Hey…it's okay, Richard. It's all over. I'm right here," the detective said softly.

"Danny? M…my throat hurts." Richard whispered.

"I know, it's because of the tube they had to put down it for the surgery. It'll go away soon. I'm gonna get a nurse and see if we can't get you some water."

Richard whimpered a little at that, and clung to Danny's hand.

"Please don't leave me," he pled quietly.

Danny stopped then, and he couldn't seem to stop himself as he lifted the slave's hand to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to his palm.

"Okay, Richard. I'm right here. I'll hit the call button and we'll wait together."

Richard sighed at that, and closed his eyes again.

After a few more hours passed, Richard was alert and sitting up in bed when Steve brought Grace and Charlie in. Grace immediately climbed into bed next to the slave and hugged him. Charlie fussed and reached for Richard. His chubby cheeks were flushed and chapped, and it was clear he'd been crying. Richard looked horrified, and pulled both children close to him.

"What did you _do _to them?" Richard burst out.

He looked nervous once the words left his mouth, but Steve just threw his head back and laughed. Danny looked delighted by Richard's question, and winked at the slave.

"Yeah, Steven. You can't handle two kids?" he teased.

"Hey. I only picked Charlie up to bring him here. Ask Auntie why he's so cranky. And Gracie was waiting for me when I pulled up. She practically attacked the car," Steve grinned and ruffled Charlie's wispy hair, earning himself a swat from the baby.

"We missed you, Richard. Can you come home now?" Grace asked.

"Yes." Richard started to arrange himself to get out of bed, but Danny and Steve both stopped him.

"No way, brah. You gotta take it easy," Steve admonished.

"I doctor said you can go home in the morning Richard. You have to be careful," Danny scolded gently.

A surprisingly mulish expression crossed Richard's face and Danny fought down a chuckle when he saw it.

"But…but the children need me. I know what they like to eat. They miss me," Richard protested.

Danny went and sat next to Grace on the bed, and placed a hand on the slave's cheek.

"Yeah, they do. But if you push yourself you might get hurt, and then you'll have to stay here even longer. Then we'll all miss you even more. And Steve can handle a McDonalds run and a bottle."

"But…but McDonalds in unhealthy. And Charlie needs his baby food with his dinner too," Richard stammered, blushing. He was a little overwhelmed at the hand tenderly holding his cheek, and the look in Danny's eyes.

"I know, babe. But I promise, the kids'll be okay for one night. Kono is gonna help Steve out. Now I need you to relax, and let yourself heal," Danny told him.

Richard gulped, and nodded. He lay his head back on the pillow then, and even as he cuddled the two children, Steve noticed how the slave kept stealing soulful peeks at Danny. The SEAL kept his grin hidden, but he couldn't help thinking that Danny's life was about to get a lot more interesting.

"I just don't think you need to be walking all over creation when you just had surgery!"

Danny was pacing as he spoke to Richard and his therapist. The doctor's lips twitched a little as he tried not to chuckle.

"It's been 2 weeks, Danny. I promise, I feel fine. Very good, in fact. I…I don't want to take the chance of the children overhearing our session," Richard said, looking a little uncertain.

Danny sighed and little, and nodded. This was the first chance Richard had gotten to speak to Dr. Manamea since the implant had been removed, and the only day the doctor could come was a Saturday. So the house was full of kids. A few of Grace's friends were giggling with her in her bedroom, and Charlie was sitting his swing, yelling and laughing as he glided back and forth. Richard met Danny's eyes then, and gave him a small, grateful, smile.

Danny watched as Dr. Manamea and Richard walked out of the house and toward the beach. Charlie gave another yell, and Danny gave him a rueful grin.

"Yeah, I know kid. I hate it every time he leaves too. I think you and I may be in trouble, short stack."

"So my friend, tell me about your procedure."

Richard chewed his bottom lip for a moment, thinking. Dr. Manamea waited patiently. He was pleased by the fact that Richard felt he could stop to think, and gather his ideas before he spoke. There was a time that the slave simply spit out an answer to any question without thought, believing that it was his duty to reveal every secret. But now Richard would pause, and really consider what he wanted to share.

"It actually wasn't bad. I was a little sore afterward, but not at all like last time. And….and Danny…" Richard flushed red and looked at his feet as they wandered down the beach.

"Yes? What about Danny?" the doctor asked.

Danny had been a frequent topic of conversation between the doctor and Richard lately. Richard was struggling to come to terms with what he felt for his owner, and questioning his worthiness to have Danny, or even consider being close to him.

"He…he stayed with me the whole time. And he was so…so kind and gentle. He held my hand when I was scared and he…he kissed me," Richard revealed.

"Did he now?"

"Y…yes. On the palm of my hand," Richard blushed furiously as he spoke.

"And how did that make you feel?"

Richard stopped then, and stared at the water, lost in thought. When Nora bought him, he thought his life couldn't get better. The elderly lady was kind, and treated him with such care. But then…then he'd been given to Danny. Beautiful, gentle, strong, Danny. Not only did Richard have two wonderful children to care for, he was treated like family. Danny actually valued him, needed him. Danny didn't seem to realize that Richard was used goods; damaged and dirty. He made Richard start considering that maybe he wasn't so worthless after all.

And deep down, Richard understood that he was starting to feel like he needed Danny too.

"It…it was just a kiss to the palm of my hand. I…I think he was just trying to comfort me. But…but no one has ever kissed me before, and Danny…" Richard broke off, biting his bottom lip.

"Danny what?" the doctor asked softly.

Richard drew a deep breath before he spoke.

"He makes me feel things. He…he makes me want things. Even with all the pain my old Master put me through, I feel…safe. I don't…I don't feel so…so filthy anymore."

"What sort of things does Danny make you want, Richard? Sexual things? Emotional things?" the doctor asked. He was silently praying as he asked the question. Richard would tell the doctor for hours what a wonderful man Danny Williams was, but he avoided admitting his feelings as much as he possibly could.

"…Everything," Richard whispered.

Dr. Manamea smiled and took the slave's hand.

"Well then, let's go talk about everything, Richard."

Danny was in his office three days later when Kono stuck her head in the door. She paused for minute before she spoke, grinning as she listened to Danny hum to himself. The detective had been downright perky lately, though he would deny it with every breath in his body. Kono thought it was absolutely awesome.

"Hey, brah. Someone's here to see you," she said.

Danny looked up and rolled his eyes.

"Great. Cause I don't have any work to do. You know, police work? Catching criminals, fighting injustice, getting shot at every time my lunatic partner breaks a door down?"

Kono just snorted and gave a snicker at Danny's mini-rant. Danny was easy to read. The more he ranted, the better he felt.

"Not my fault boss. I'm sending the Haole in," Kono told him.

Danny paused then. He knew if Kono was going out of her way to point this visitor out as an outsider, there was a reason. He leaned back and watched as a younger man in a suit came in, thanking Kono as she left.

"Daniel Williams?"

Danny's eyebrow went up and he crossed his arms.

"Who's asking?"

The man removed a badge from his pocket and showed the detective.

"Mark Smith. I'm an agent with the Federal Slave Commission. You recently acquired a slave named Richard Speight?" he asked.

Danny felt a trickle of worry run down his spine now. The local Slave Affairs office answered to the Slave Commission, and the FSC didn't make random visits.

"Yeah. My grandmother died, and I inherited him," Danny answered.

"I see. Well, Mr. Williams, we have a former owner of the slave claiming that he was illegally sold. He is demanding the return of his property," the agent said.

Danny jumped to his feet then, and he felt both his anger and his panic rising at the same time.

"Oh that is bullshit. Illegal sales are nearly non-existent anymore! Who is this owner?" Danny demanded.

"His name is Thomas Garmen. He bought Richard when he was 11. He owned him till he was 22, when the slave in question was sold to a couple for breeding purposes. From there he was sold to your grandmother." The agent sighed and pointed to a chair. Danny gave a curt nod, and the man sat down. "Look, I am inclined to agree that this is probably a hoax. But he has some paperwork that doesn't look good. I have to investigate this."

"Thomas fucking Garmen abused and tortured Richard the entire time he had him! You have got to be kidding me! Investigate that bastard for violating the Slave civil code!" Danny snapped.

"Mr. Williams-"

"DETECTIVE Williams," Danny corrected, anger in his voice.

"Detective. If this investigation shows that the sale was illegal, then the slave will have to be returned to his previous owner," Agent Smith told him.

Danny was coming around the desk now, and the lamp in front of him went flying as he swung his arm while his passed.

"Oh you are out of your fucking mind if you think for one goddamned minute I will-"

Danny's shouting was cut off by Chin hurrying into the office with Steve. The Hawaiian man prompted the enraged detective out of the office while Steve dealt with the agent. Once Danny was gone, Steve took the paperwork from the other FSC officer and scanned it.

"Do you have any idea how abusive this guy is? What he did to Richard?" Steve asked quietly.

"Look, this is my job, okay? I may not always like the way it turns out, but it is what it is. All I can tell you is that the only way to keep the slave in question from being returned to his owner, if the charges are legitimate, is if he wasn't a slave anymore." The agent gave Steve a loaded look, and Steve paused and gave a slow nod.

"So how long will this investigation take?"

"I can give you two weeks," Agent Smith answered. "Then there'll be a hearing and I'll present my findings."

Steve reached a hand out and shook the agent's.

"Thanks man."

The agent nodded and left. Steve stepped out of the office, and Kono pointed to Chin's. Steve hurried over, and found Danny slumped over, his face in his hands. Chin was squatting in front of him, trying to calm him down. Steve spoke then, and both men looked up.

"I think we have a solution to this, but it's gonna be…complicated."

"Married?" Richard was staring at Danny and his therapist in shock.

"It's the only way to assure that you can stay with Danny. If Thomas Garmen proves that the sale was somehow illegal, he can demand repossession." Dr. Manamea explained.

Richard gave a shiver of fear at the name, and swallowed hard.

"B…but Danny…Danny doesn't want to marry me," he protested.

"Richard, it's just a piece of paper. We'll have to stay married for 10 years to make you a totally free citizen, then we can get divorced," Danny told him.

Richard didn't look any happier at that, and the doctor shook his head no.

"Actually, that won't work. The FSC treats these marriages very much like the INS used to treat green card marriages. They will be checking in on the two of you, and asking very…invasive questions. Not to mention Richard's status as a Carrier. If a child isn't produced fairly quickly it'll be looked at more closely. Also, if your answers don't match up and convince them that you're on the level, they can repossess Richard, and Danny, you would be arrested for fraud. The best way to do this is to simply go all in; try as hard as you both can to have a legitimate marriage," he said.

Danny looked at Richard for a moment, and he could have sworn he saw something akin to pleasure on the slave's face before he smoothed his expression, and shook his head no.

"I…I can't do that to Danny. What if he meets someone he really loves during that time? It's not fair to him. He…he shouldn't be shackled to me for a mistake someone else made with my sale."

Tears had begun to drip down Richard's face as he spoke, and Danny suddenly jumped up and began to pace as he tugged at his hair and ranted.

"No! No fucking way! My kids have already lost one parent! They can't lose another one! They'll never get over it!" The frustration broke through Danny's defenses then, and a bigger truth came spilling out. "Goddamn it, I am not going back to being alone again, and getting my fucking heart broken in the process! I am not going through this again! I am sick and tired of losing the people I need-"

Danny's rant ended with a pair of arms wrapping around him from behind, and a shy voice speaking.

"I'll do it," Richard told him.

Danny turned and looked at him.

"You'll do it? But…I thought…"

"I'll do it," Richard repeated.

Danny reached up and cupped the slave's face.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Richard nodded, blushing a little.

Danny suddenly pulled Richard into his arms and held him closely.

"Thank fuck."

Dr. Manamea watched the pair for a moment, and found himself offering up a silent prayer. This moment would be life changing and defining for both the detective and the soon to be former slave. Only time would tell if the changes would be for the better. But he had to believe they would. Anything else seemed too unfair to contemplate.

"Alright…well, everything looks great, guys. Richard has healed up beautifully. I have to tell you, I have never had a patient that forms less scar tissue than this guy."

The surgeon who had removed Richard's implant smiled at him and flipped through his chart.

"And his sexual function seems to be back to normal now. I can't undo the emotional damage, Richard. But I can fix the physical stuff, and remove that tie you had to your old master. I am so pleased I could do this for before your wedding."

Danny and Richard had taken Dr. Manamea's advice, and presenting the marriage to everyone around them as a union of choice, and love. Only the therapist and Danny's 5-0 team knew the truth. Grace had been delighted to hear that her Danno was marrying her Richard, and promptly began calling the slave Papa, to his delight.

But now they were facing the part of this that caused both Richard and Danny the most concern. The wedding was in 3 days, and Richard was scared he would pull away when Danny touched him intimately, and hurt the man he adored. And Danny was scared he would hurt Richard, both physically and mentally, and he wasn't sure he could live with himself if that happened. They were both hoping this doctor's appointment would ease their fears.

"So…sex shouldn't hurt him now?" Danny asked.

"Not with prep and foreplay. Carriers produce a natural lubricant. When they are aroused, it increases. When you penetrate a Carrier, the same system that makes sure the testicles react during orgasm instead of the bladder closes off the digestive function of the rectal area and opens the connection from the anus to the uterus. When that connection opens, it sends the message to Richard's body to relax, and produce fluid. That process was hindered when Richard had the implant. By removing it, we make sure his body can loosen and produce the lubricant he needs. Sex can be very pleasurable now, as long as you take it slow and address Richard's emotional issues," the doctor explained.

Richard was blushing furiously now, and Danny wrapped an arm around him.

"I need to know this stuff, babe. I don't wanna hurt you," Danny said softly.

"You won't. You never would," Richard told him shyly.

And that worried Danny too. Richard had such trust in him. He depended on Danny to protect him, and he seemed to think the detective could keep any evil away. Danny dreaded the day they faced a problem he couldn't fix. He shook himself from his thoughts as the doctor finished talking though, and soon they were heading out to the car.

Once they were sitting, Richard reached out a hand, and placed it on Danny's leg, biting his lower lip a little before he spoke. Danny had learned that whenever Richard began worrying the lip between his teeth, it meant that he wanted to say something that made him nervous.

"What is, Richard? You know you can tell me anything," Danny reminded him.

Richard gave him a shy smile then, his dimples peeking out. Danny touched one gently and waited.

"I…I was wondering what you were worried about in the doctor's office," Richard told him.

"You mean the sex stuff? I just don't want to hurt you…" Danny paused as Richard shook his head no a little.

"I…I meant near the end of my appointment. You got quiet. You…you're almost never quiet. When you are it means you're worried."

Danny stared at Richard for a moment then. The detective hadn't realized how well his new fiancé knew him. He sighed then, because for once, he wasn't sure what to say.

"You just…damn…you think I can protect you, and keep anything bad from happening, and god help me, I'll die trying, but at some point I am gonna fuck it all up and-"

Danny stopped in surprise when Richard laughed quietly.

"Danny, I know you aren't perfect. You never clean up after yourself, you tell terrible jokes, and you have quite a temper. Not to mention what happens to you when you eat raw vegetables." Here Richard offered Danny a tiny grin before turning more serious. "But you're honorable, and brave, and when you make a promise, you keep it. You treat people so kindly, even if you have power over them. I know you can't keep bad things from happening. But I also know you'll stay beside me when they do."

Danny looked a little stunned then, and without thinking, he drew Richard to him and kissed him gently, but deeply. They were both gasping for air a little when it was over, and the detective stroked his fiancé's cheek.

"Are you okay? I didn't mean to just jump into that," Danny whispered.

Richard nodded, cheeks flushed and eyes bright with what Danny suspected might be his first taste of desire.

"So…kisses are good?" Danny grinned.

Richard surprised Danny by pressing his face into his neck. He nodded again, and sighed.

Danny let him stay pressed close, savoring the contact till Richard pulled slowly away, a smile on his face, and his cheeks still pink. As they headed home, Danny had a thought.

_This could wind up being even better than I hoped. _

"You're married, brah! Kiss him man!"

Kamekona's round face split in a huge smile as he held his hands up. He'd gotten ordained online just for the pleasure of marrying Danny and Richard. That, and for the chance to cater the reception.

Danny pulled Richard into his arms then, and kissed him till the cheers of their guests turned raucous. They stood close for another moment, both of them clinging a little, trying to wrap their minds around the changes the last week had brought. In 7 days they had gone from reluctant master and loyal slave to husbands. But they both knew that if the chance to change it came, neither would take it.

"Ready to face the mob, babe?" Danny asked softly.

Richard nodded, and pressed his face into the gentle hand that was wiping away the tears he had shed during the ceremony. Danny leaned in one more time and stole another kiss before he turned to the small crowd of friends and family who were standing around them on the beach, still cheering.

Richard clutched his new husband's hand and blushed as they were now surrounded by people hugging them and offering congratulations. This was, without a question, the best day of his life. There had been a moment while he and Danny exchanged vows, and promised to love each other as long as they both drew breath, when Richard realized that Danny meant every word. He saw the feeling in his new husband's eyes, and that had been when the tears began to fall. Now he stayed as close to Danny as he could, not able to bear the thought of letting him go.

Danny's mother hurried forward and hugged them both close. She suspected that there was more going on with the quick marriage than met the eye, but she trusted her son. If Danny wasn't explaining everything, there was a good reason why. Besides, she had seen the love on the faces of her son and her new son-in-law. That was all that mattered to her.

Danny's father was handing a fussy Charlie to Richard as he clapped his back, a smile on his face.

"This little man wants his Papa. Welcome to the family, Richard. We couldn't be happier to make you a Williams."

Richard gave him a shy smile, and the elder Williams gave him a careful hug as he juggled the baby between them.

The rest of the party moved to a tent further down the beach, and food was served amid laughter and conversation. About halfway through the party, Danny's cousin Devin sidled up to him, and whispered in his ear.

"Can I borrow you for a minute man? It's important."

Danny saw the look on his cousin's face and he nodded. He leaned over and kissed Richard's cheek.

"I gotta to talk to Dev for a minute, okay? I'll be right back," he promised.

Richard nodded, and touched Danny's cheek. The detective grinned a little, then followed Devin a short ways from the tent. Steve and Chin were waiting and Danny's stomach sank a little.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I hate doing this to you now man, but the hearing is in a few days, and we wanted you to have heads up. I did some poking around into Thomas Garmen's past. Let's just say I used means that cops aren't so found of. But I wanted to make sure Richard was safe," Devin began.

"Okay…we're listening," Danny told him.

"It's like this. Thomas Garmen has some powerful friends in Alabama. I think that's how he tracked Richard. He should have lost that ability as soon as the sale was final. I can't prove it, but I'm pretty sure his political friends found Richard for him. He has his fingers in some fairly big pies. And here's the problem. Thomas Garmen has sold 4 other slaves in the last 8 years. But he got all of them back, and for way less than they were listed for," Devin said.

"Sale records are private, Devin! Only the FSC has access to those! How the hell did you find this out?" Danny demanded.

Devin just winked and shrugged.

"Don't worry about that. Worry about Garmen. I think he's selling slaves at a high price, then claiming that the sale was illegal so they're forced to be returned to him. His big wig friends in the state capital tamper with his sale records, or just look the other way when he does it. Then all he has to pay is the tax and transfer on them. He was real careful to make sure to sell the slaves in different states, so a different branch of the FSC investigated his claim each time. But cuz, none of the other owners did what you have. No one married the slave. Richard is out of his reach now, and I got no clue how he'll react to that. From what I found about him, he was looking for Richard for years. The other slaves might have been a bait and switch to get some extra profit, but Richard is personal," Devin warned.

Steve, Danny and Chin all glanced at each other.

"Then we all need to keep an eye out till Garmen leaves the state. Richard can't be returned now, he's a free citizen. At most, Garmen will be reimbursed whatever Rich was worth at the time of his sale. But if he wants him back, he's gonna be disappointed," Steve stated.

"I got a feeling disappointed on Thomas Garmen isn't pretty," Devin told him.

"Probably not. But I'd like to see him get through 5-0 to try to get one of our own. Richard is ohana, and we take that seriously." Chin looked dangerous and determined as he spoke, and Devin looked relieved.

Steve looked at Danny now, and frowned. A quiet Danny was never good. It meant he was well and truly upset, or in this case, Steve suspected afraid. He placed a hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Brah, we will keep Richard safe. No if's and's or but's," he promised.

Danny finally looked up then. All them flinched when they saw the expression on his face, and his wet eyes.

"If something happens to him…if I lose him…there won't be any coming back from it. He's…he's…" Danny paused, and swallowed hard.

Steve put both hands on Danny's shoulders now.

"You heard Chin. Richard is ohana. Nothing is gonna happen," Steve repeated.

"We won't let it."

Richard was sitting at the grooms' table watching the small group of men who were talking. He felt his own body tense in response when Danny's shoulders tightened, and Steve reached out to comfort his friend. Richard knew that something was wrong, but a large part of him just did not want to know what. This was supposed to be a perfect day. He was free, he had Danny, and now the baby in his arms and the little girl sleeping with her head in his lap were truly his. He just couldn't bear to have it ruined.

When does it stop? Richard thought. He forced himself to smile as Danny approached him though, and hoped to himself that his new husband didn't notice his stress. But when Danny saw Richard's face, his own dropped in response, and the former slave knew his husband had seen right through him.

"Babe, can I tell you about this tomorrow? It's not exactly unexpected, and it doesn't change a damned thing. I just don't want anything screwing up tonight." Danny told him, knowing Richard had seen his look and interpreted it correctly.

Richard gave Danny a real smile then, and nodded. Danny sighed in relief and sat down next to him. He chuckled when he saw Grace sleeping in Richard's lap, and Charlie drowsing on his shoulder.

"How about we hand these two off to my folks, then head to the hotel?" Danny suggested.

Richard flushed a little, and hoped that Danny didn't notice him trembling. The former slave couldn't have even said for sure if fear or excitement caused his shaking. He knew intellectually that tonight would be different than anything he'd ever experienced. But he was so afraid his past would intrude on his future.

"A…alright," Richard whispered.

Danny knelt down in front of him, and looked into his eyes.

"Richard, I promise, I'm not them. It won't be like before," Danny said softly.

"I know…I do. I…I'm just nervous. I can't seem to help it," Richard explained.

"Hey, that's okay. Just…trust me. I am gonna make this good for you," Danny promised.

Richard swallowed a little, but he felt his nerves relaxing a bit. He did trust Danny. Much to his amazement, he trusted his new husband completely.

Danny was waving his mother over now, and soon the children had been transferred into different set of arms, and a stroller. Danny took Richard's hand then, and touched his cheek.

"Ready, babe?" Danny asked.

Richard smiled shyly and spoke.

"Yes. I…I think I am."

As they walked to the car, neither was aware of the uninvited set of eyes that were watching them.

A short time later, Danny and Richard stood close in the honeymoon suite of the Waikiki Hilton. The room was theirs for the next few days, a gift from Danny's fellow cops at 5-0. They were kissing softly, something Richard and Danny had both discovered they liked. Danny slid his hands to the front of his new husband's shirt and traced the buttons for a moment before he looked up to watch Richard's face.

"Okay, babe?" Danny whispered.

Richard nodded, cheeks flushed, and Danny slowly opened each button, and slid the shirt off the former slave's shoulders. Richard reached out then, and placed his hands on Danny's chest, and looked a little uncertain.

"Go ahead, Richard. I'm yours now. You can touch all you want," Danny said softly.

Richard paused for a moment then, and stared at Danny, tears in his eyes. He had accepted the idea of belonging to his new husband forever, but it had never occurred to him that he would be given something in return. And certainly nothing as precious as Danny.

Danny saw the tears and frowned a little. He cupped Richard's face gently and brushed them away.

"Baby?"

Richard carefully loosened each button, and removed the tie Danny had insisted on wearing to the wedding. Soon they were both bare chested, and the former slave stepped a little closer.

"I like belonging to you. But…but I like that you belong to me now, too," he said a little shyly.

Danny understood then. He smiled a little and drew Richard into another kiss. He stroked his hands down in lazy circles till they hovered over his husband's belt and looked at his face once more. Richard just nodded, and it wasn't long until Danny had stripped them both, distracting Richard with kisses as he worked.

When they were naked, Danny walked them to the bed, and eased Richard down. For a while, they just lay close, and looked at one another. Danny was experiencing something new. He had a tendency to fill silence with chatter. For possibly the first time in his life, the need to provide the protection that chatter provided fled. He found himself willing to simply be close, resting his forehead against his Richard's, letting them both simply feel.

They began exchanging kisses once again after a few minutes passed, and Danny groaned softly when Richard snuggled closer and brushed the detective's erection with his belly. Suddenly laying close wasn't enough. Danny needed to be inside Richard. He slid his hand down, and was relieved when he found his husband hard.

Richard shivered at Danny's touch and hid his face in the detective's neck. The touch felt good…wonderful, in fact. But the former slave was figuring something out. Pleasure was far more revealing than pain could ever be. Danny's gentle stroking hands, and his wet tongue flicking and touching his nipples left Richard more open and helpless than he had ever been. Pain had affected Richard's body; no doubt. But Danny was touching his soul. Richard heard gasps and whimpers, and was faintly surprised to find they were coming from his own mouth.

"That's right, baby…you like that?" Danny husked out.

Richard just moaned in response, and Danny's fingers trailed lower. They slid between his legs, and across his entrance as Danny nudged Richard's knees apart. Richard shuddered for a little, and Danny looked at his face.

"I swear, I won't hurt you," he whispered.

Richard nodded, and swallowed as Danny slowly sank one finger into his body. His eyes widened in surprise when he felt the slick his body was producing surge as Danny drew the questing finger out and slid two in to replace it. Once again, his body felt things he never knew it could, and he felt exposed, almost too exposed, until Danny leaned up and kissed him softly.

"I'm right here. It's just us, and I love seeing you feel good. Relax for me, sweetheart."

Richard closed his eyes, and did his best to focus on Danny's gentle hands. He reminded himself that the man touching him had never been anything but patient and kind. This was Danny, his Danny, and there was nothing to be afraid of anymore.

When Danny was finally on top of Richard, and pressing the tip of his cock against his wet, trembling hole, he whispered his name. The detective's breath caught when the warm amber eyes opened and gazed into his, trust and love shining out. Danny heard the words coming out of his mouth then, and he was totally helpless to stop them as he slid home, filling Richard at last.

"Love you…baby…fuck…love you so much…"

Richard looked stunned, and lifted his arms so he could clutch Danny closer. His body was being swept away by something overwhelming as his heart finally found a home. He dug his fingers into Danny's back as the detective tried to move as slowly and gently as possible.

"Danny…please…" Richard had no idea what he was pleading for. He only knew he needed something. He felt his legs wrapping around Danny's waist as he whimpered.

"Tell me…c'mon baby….you like this?" Danny panted.

"Yes! Oh God!" Richard began to squirm, and was trying to get Danny somehow deeper. The connection between them was the most intensely wonderful thing the former slave had ever experienced and all he knew was that it wasn't enough. He wanted more.

Danny's control was clearly shattered by Richard's cry, and he began to thrust in earnest. Nothing on earth could stop what was between them now. They both knew this wasn't going to last. Nothing this good could be drawn out. So Danny reached down between them, and wrapped one hand around Richard, and started to stroke, pleading frantically with his husband to find release.

The moment Danny's hand began touching him, Richard's entire body froze. Pleasure; searing, overwhelming, shattering pleasure had gripped him, and he was helpless to do anything but arch into it, strain to prolong it, and get as much of it for himself as he could. And just when he thought it couldn't possibly get better, or last for even another moment, Danny roared his name, and threw his head back as he filled Richard with heat and wet. Danny's orgasm made Richard cry out as his own was wrung out just a little further.

After the pleasure had burned their strength away, Danny managed to roll to Richard's side before he collapsed. He drew his new husband close, and stroked his hair back. Richard looked stunned, and tears had gathered in his eyes.

"Oh Jesus…did I hurt you baby? Oh God, I am so sorry…"

Danny was stopped by a kiss. Richard gave a shuddering sigh and buried his face in the detective's chest.

"I love you too, Danny. You didn't hurt me. Not at all. It was…it was perfect," Richard whispered.

Danny had to close his eyes against the relief that brought him. His heart pounded a little too, as Richard whispered his love.

"Yeah? I hope you're sure about the condom." They had talked about protection before this night ever came, and Richard hadn't wanted anything between them. Danny agreed completely. The idea of feeling Richard's warmth and softness without a barrier sounded pretty close to heaven to Danny. But _he_ couldn't get pregnant.

Richard flushed and tangled their legs together. Danny was fairly certain the smile on his face had a touch of smug in it.

"You do make pretty babies," Richard told him.

Danny chuckled then, and remembered Richard's drugged rambling before his surgery.

"Yeah, well, we got a ten month old at home. I hope you like diapers." Danny teased.

"I'll change diapers for the rest of my life if you want me to," Richard sighed. "As long as I'm with you."

Danny gave a sigh then too, and kissed Richard one more time before he went and grabbed a warm washcloth from the bathroom. He washed his husband off gently, then lay back down next to him, and pulled him close again. Richard's eyes were already closing, and Danny watched him sleep for a few minutes before he finally allowed his body to relax and join him.

_I'm gonna make a better world for you baby_. Danny thought. _I promise_.


	3. Chapter 3

"Danno. I think Papa is sick."

Danny tossed his keys onto the table and frowned at Grace's words.

"Where is he, Monkey?"

"Upstairs in the bathroom. Danno, Papa isn't…he's not gonna die is he?" Grace was pale and tears filled her eyes.

"Oh baby, no. Papa is just pregnant. This is pretty normal. I know you're worried about him, but he'll be fine. I'm gonna go check on him, okay? Where's your brother?" Danny asked.

"He's taking a nap," Grace answered.

"Could you go check on Charlie while I check on Pop?"

Grace nodded and hurried toward her brother's room. Danny hurried up the stairs then, and into the master bathroom. Sure enough, Richard was sitting on the floor, his head resting on the now closed toilet lid. He was pale and shaky and Danny kneeled by his side.

As he stroked Richard's cheek, Danny couldn't help a small smile. 6 months of marriage, and he still couldn't believe he got to have this with the former slave.

"Hey babe. Still feeling rough?"

Richard sighed and leaned into Danny's touch.

"I feel absolutely awful. Remind me again why I agreed to this," Richard moaned.

Danny kissed his sweaty temple.

"You wanted a houseful of babies, remember? Something about our own little blonde football team," Danny teased gently.

"Right. Why did you listen to me?" Richard asked.

"Because I can't say no to you." Danny helped Richard to his feet as he spoke and settled him on the closed toilet lid.

"I couldn't make dinner, Danny. I'm sorry, I tried…"

Richard stopped talking as Danny wiped his face off with a cool, wet cloth. As much progress as Danny knew his husband had made, he could also see that there was a small part of Richard that felt that familiar fear of a slave who had failed in their duties. Danny didn't see him as one, and he made that clear to his pregnant partner any way he could. And Richard's weekly therapy helped that part of him shrink away. But he wasn't perfect, and Danny understood. And he also knew his husband had a lifetime of programming to overcome.

Danny kissed his cheek after he wiped it off.

"So we'll order in, babe. Dinner doesn't matter. _You_ matter. You worry about taking care of yourself," he said.

"I love you," Richard told him quietly.

Those words always made Danny give an ear to ear smile. His face lit up and he pulled Richard close and held him.

"I love you too."

Richard lay his head on Danny's shoulder for a few minutes till a little voice interrupted them.

"Papa! Dada! Mine!"

Charlie was standing in the doorway holding the television remote and looking pleased with himself.

"He climbed out of the crib again," Grace told them.

"I'm seeing that. Come on you two. We're gonna order some dinner while Papa gets a nap," Danny stated.

"Oh, Danny…I can-"

Richard was cut off with gentle finger to his lips.

"Brush your teeth and lay down babe. You're exhausted. You gotta take care of our bun," Danny smiled.

Richard gave a little half smile and nodded.

"Can we have pineapple on the pizza, Danno?" Grace asked as they left the room.

"Jeez kid. Now _I'm_ sick to my stomach," Danny moaned. He paused in the doorway, and watched his pregnant husband for a moment.

Richard smiled and shut his eyes, and Danny grinned a little too as they heard Grace's giggle heading down the stairs. Danny's face softened as Richard lay a hand on the four month bump of his belly, and spoke a quiet message to the baby inside him.

"You are the luckiest baby on earth."

Danny swallowed down the lump in his throat from Richard's words, and finally headed downstairs as his husband drifted off into a well -deserved nap.

"So how's Richard feeling?" Steve grabbed the car keys out of Danny's hand as they headed out of 5-0 headquarters.

Danny gave the taller man a look as they headed to the car.

"You know, Steven, I can drive my own car," Danny stated.

"Yeah, but I drive it better." Steven grinned and opened the car door.

"Idiot," Danny replied.

Steve just snickered as he started the car and looked over at Danny.

"So, you never answered my question. How's Rich doing?" he asked.

"He's four and a half months pregnant, man. He can't keep anything down, and Charlie just discovered how much he likes flushing things down the toilet. How do you think he is? He's fucking exhausted," Danny groused.

Steve hid a smile. It was nice to see Danny this happy. He knew his partner was worried about his husband, but only because he loved Richard so much. Danny had finally found all he had ever really wanted; someone to share his life with.

"Did you two find out if it's a girl or boy yet?" Steve continued, ignoring Danny's snippy tone.

"No. Richard wants to be surprised. All we know is that there's one and he or she is healthy," Danny closed his eyes and leaned against the window.

"Tired?" Steve asked.

"Charlie was up at 3am and wandering around the house. I think that kid is trying to drive us crazy," Danny opened one eye and looked out the window. "Take the overpass. It's faster."

"Excuse me? I grew up in this city, Danny. I think I know the best routes to get from point a to point b," Steve retorted.

"And yet we're always the last to crime scenes, Steven. So apparently, times have changed," Danny told him.

"Once. That happened once," Steve argued.

"I am not going to argue with you, you overgrown, thick headed SEAL. And do you know why? Because I am right, therefore there is no need for me to continue this discussion," Danny replied.

"You always do that! You make some impossible blanket statement, then refuse to discuss it, because somehow in your mind, stating that you are right is all it takes to win an argument!" Steve complained, exasperation in his voice.

"That is because I am right, so arguing is a waste of time. I don't need to get caught up in the endless minutia you live in, Steven, because I have the ability to think logically," Danny said smugly.

The pointless argument just escalated from there, both men snapping and bickering until they pulled up to a warehouse by the docks. Steve grinned a little as he climbed out of the car. Ever since Richard came into his life, Danny was back to being his normal, stubborn, argumentative, annoyingly opinionated self.

It was kind of nice.

Not that he'd ever tell Danny that.

The "conversation," such as it was, ended as soon as the two officers stepped into the cool darkness of the refrigerated warehouse.

"Jesus," Danny whispered.

Steve scowled and circled the broken body on the floor. The corpse was a young man with honey colored hair, and a slight, compact build. Max was kneeling next to him and pulling a thermometer out of the body.

"He's been dead approximately two hours. I suspect death was blunt force trauma to the head," Max said.

"What about those marks around his neck?" Danny asked.

"Ah! I'm glad you asked. Those are not strangulation marks. Those are the marks that develop over time on a slave that is forced to live in a collar that is just slightly too tight. In death the blood shift in the body makes the marking appear more livid," Max explained.

Danny cursed a little and Max looked at him in surprise.

"So this guy was a slave?" Steve asked quietly.

"Yes. He was most likely born into it. He has been chipped, but he still wore a collar. I would suspect he came from a very traditional, non- Hawaiian household. He has old scars that speak of abuse that would not be allowed on the islands," Max told him.

"Then we can scan the chip and find his owner," Danny sounded grim, and Steve recognized his rage growing.

"Unfortunately, no we cannot. Look."

Max lifted the honey hair, and showed them a red, angry slash on the back of the man's neck. There was dried blood all around it, and both detectives felt sick.

"The chip has been cut out of him. And based on the pooling and dried blood around the wound, it was done while he was alive." Max stated.

"So whoever did this brought him here knowing he was gonna kill him. He removed the chip so he couldn't be tracked, and then beat the life right out of him," Danny sounded dangerously calm now, he anger becoming the cold, vicious thing of a hunter.

"One more thing. I believe this man was pregnant. He is a Carrier, and there is some swelling in his lower abdomen. I won't know for sure until I get him on an autopsy table. But the way this man is also holding his hands over his belly does seem telling," Max sighed.

Steve and Danny glanced at each other then, and silent communication passed between them.

"I want him ID'ed. He's not from the islands, so find out when he got here, and with who. RIGHT THE FUCK NOW," Steve ordered.

The two detectives left the building then, and the officers they left behind scrambled to follow the orders they were given. There was monster loose somewhere on the island, and no one was willing to see any more innocent people die.

"Richard?" Danny tossed his jacket and coat toward the couch as he came into the house. "Where are you baby?"

Richard came into the living room, looking better than he had in weeks.

"I was just making dinner. I'm actually feeling a little better today! I hope…"

Richard was cut off with an ompf as Danny wrapped his arms tightly around his husband and held him tightly.

"Danny? What's wrong?" Richard asked, carding his fingers through his husband's sweaty hair.

"Just…a bad case today. Murdered slave. The kid was only 25 and he was pregnant," Danny spoke into Richard's neck, not lifting his face.

Richard shuddered a little and kissed Danny's temple.

"You'll find the person that did it. I know you will," he said softly.

"Kept seeing you laying there. Kid even looked a little like you. Hair the same color, and a little bump where his baby…" Danny had to stop speaking then, and Richard kissed him one more time.

"But it wasn't love. I'm here. Our baby is fine. See?"

Richard led one of Danny's hands to the small swell of his belly, and placed it there.

"Nice and safe. So am I. It's alright, Danny," Richard whispered.

Danny looked up then, and tried smiling. Richard saw through it, and leaned in, capturing his husband's lips. They kissed softly for a few moments, then Danny spoke.

"Where's the kids?"

"They're at Aunt Mele's for a few hours. Her grandchildren were over and they wanted to play together," Richard told him.

"Will dinner be okay for a while?" Danny asked.

"I just put it in the oven. It has an hour to bake," Richard replied, sliding his hands down his husband's back.

Danny shocked him then by scooping Richard off his feet, and heading up the stairs.

"Need to be inside you," Danny husked out.

Richard moaned in response and wrapped his arms around Danny's neck.

A half an hour later, Danny watched Richard drift off to sleep, looking sweaty, rumpled and gorgeous. As soon as his pregnant husband slept, the detective stroked one finger around the faint, nearly invisible mark that still surrounded his neck. Then he sat up, and his mind went back to the hearing…

_6 months earlier. _

"_I…I'm scared, Danny," Richard whispered. _

"_I know, babe. But you don't have to be. You're a free citizen now, and they can't take you away," Danny whispered back. _

_They sat in a small courtroom now, waiting for Agent Smith to present his findings to the judge. It was a formality at this point. Richard and Danny had been married for a week, making Richard a free man. The most that could happen was a court order to pay Garmen a fee for Richard's sale. But Richard still trembled as he clung to Danny's hand. _

_Agent Smith walked in then, and Richard gave a gasp of fear and Danny startled when his new husband clutched his hand to the point of pain. Then he saw the tall, dark haired man behind the Agent. He had a cold, calculating expression, and when his eyes landed on Richard, they narrowed as a look of pleasure washed over his face. Danny scowled at him, and it took every ounce of strength he had not to rise and attack the man then and there. _

"_That's Garmen, isn't it?" Danny asked softly. _

_Richard just nodded, then buried his face in Danny's neck. Before Danny could speak, the judge came in and sat down._

"_No need to rise. This is an informal hearing to see if this issue needs to be taken further." The judge wore sandals under his robe, and was carrying a file with him. "So…let's hear from Agent Smith first."_

_The FSC agent got to his feet and briefly explained that the paperwork on Richard's sale had been signed by Garmen's daughter, and not Garmen himself._

"…_so there could be an argument made that the sale was illegal. Miss Garmen was 18 at the time, however, and she was a full citizen. She did have the power to purchase and sell slaves," Agent Smith explained. "And the slave in question was listed as a family slave, not a personal slave."_

"_Hmm…is she here?" the judge asked. _

"_No your honor. But she did send a sworn affidavit in," Agent Smith replied. _

_Thomas Garmen gave a start at that, obviously surprised. _

"_Well, let's hear it," the judge said._

_Agent Smith pulled out a piece of paper and read from it. _

"_My name is Rebekah Garmen. I sold Richard Speight as soon as I turned 18 and was legally able to do so. I did it because I feared for his continued safety and well-being. I was leaving for college soon, and Richard would have been alone with my father, Thomas Garmen. I tried to protect Richard as I could when I was younger, but my father is a very violent and angry man, and Richard suffered the most at his hands. I felt that the only way to keep Richard safe when I was across the country was to sell him to someone else."_

_There was a moment of silence then, and the judge frowned. _

"_So, is Mr. Speight here today?" he asked. _

_Danny rose to his feet, and helped Richard up gently._

"_Yes, your honor. His name is Richard Williams now," Danny replied. _

"_And you are?" the judge inquired. _

"_Detective Daniel Williams. I'm with the 5-0 task force. I'm Richard's husband."_

"_Ahh…well well. Mr. Speight-who-is-now-Mr. Williams, did you enter into the marriage with the detective here willingly?" the judge looked at the former slave, who was still clutching Danny's hand._

"_Y…yes, sir." Richard answered. _

"_Really? Why?" the judge looked shrewd now, and Danny felt a moment of nerves. _

_Richard looked at Danny for a moment, and the detective nodded. _

"_I…I love him. He makes me feel s...safe and happy." _

_The judge grinned a little then and looked at Thomas Garmen. _

"_Well, Mr. Garmen. It seems your claim is voided. Richard Williams is a free man. The most you might get from this is a transaction fee, possibly a payout for his worth at the time of sale. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that if I was you. Hawaiian juries are notorious for lacking patience with abuse charges like the one your daughter raised," the judge informed him. _

_Garmen didn't bother arguing with the judge. At the time, Danny was just relieved. _

_But as he and Richard left the courtroom together, hands clasped, and Richard leaning close to the safety of Danny's side, the detective felt eyes on him. He turned for a moment, and saw Thomas Garmen staring at them. There was something ugly on his face. A sick mix of rage, lust, and excitement. At the time, Danny brushed it off. _

_But now…_

Danny picked up the phone and tiptoed out of the bedroom where Richard slept. He hit a few buttons, and spoke.

"Chin? Could you do something for me man? Run a check on Thomas Garmen. Find out where he's at right now and what he's up to…Yeah…That's what I'm wondering…I'll sleep a lot better knowing for sure…Thanks."

Danny hung the phone up then, and stepped back into the bedroom. Richard was still sleeping, and he climbed into bed next to him, pulling him close. The detective was really hoping he was wrong about his suspicions. But nothing on earth would make him take any chances.

"Grace, do you have your back pack?"

Richard waddled over to kitchen table, and placed an apple in a 'Hello Kitty' lunch box before he handed it to his daughter.

"Yup! I got all my stuff, Papa. You worry too much." Grace grinned and hugged Richard. She giggled harder then and pulled back. "The baby kicked me!"

"You were squeezing him." Richard smiled, and stroked her hair out of her face.

"Her," Grace corrected.

"MY BABY!" Charlie yelled from his highchair, and pounded his spoon against it.

"Yes, Charlie. Your baby. Now use an inside voice, before Papa's head explodes," Richard replied.

"Are you gonna come to my soccer game today?" Grace asked.

Richard gave a tiny internal sigh, and smiled at her. He was eight and a half months pregnant, and hauling Charlie from one place to another was exhausting. But he couldn't disappoint his little girl.

"Of course I am," he promised.

"Yay!" Grace grabbed her lunch and stuffed it into her backpack. "Bus is here!"

Richard watched the little bundle of energy run out of the house, and eased himself into a chair. Danny came down to find him trying to talk Charlie into eating his breakfast. He kissed Richard's cheek and stroked a finger down his cheek.

"Morning baby. Sorry I slept so late."

"It's okay. What time did you get in last night?" Richard asked, concern in his voice.

"Pretty late. About 2 A.M.," Danny admitted.

Richard frowned then, and Danny knew the look. He pulled a chair up across from his husband and leaned in till their foreheads were touching.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry. I need to be home more. But until we find this guy, there are a lot of people in danger." Danny explained.

As it turned out, the dead slave in the warehouse was just the start of a horrible chain of events. In the four months after the first body was found, three more victims were slaughtered. All of them were young, male slaves, and two were pregnant. Seven lives had now been ended, and the stress placed on the 5-0 team was crushing. Most of it came from within. Richard was ohana; family. One of their own had been a slave, and it didn't escape any of them how easily it could have _been _Richard in those young men's places.

So 5-0 hunted like they never had. They chased leads that lead nowhere, and sought their killer with a ferocity that left the criminals of Hawaii distinctly nervous around any cop with ties to the task force.

And they found nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Danny was reaching levels of frustration he hadn't known existed. He still suspected Thomas Garmen, but the man's lawyer insisted that he was in Alabama at the time of the killings, and had never left the state. There was no record of him flying in or out of Hawaii, but flight manifests could be tampered with, and fake ID's were easy to come by for a man of Garmen's wealth. But there was no evidence pointing to Garmen, and Danny could admit that his distaste of Richard's former owner colored his perceptions.

"I'm just worried about you, Daniel. You're exhausted, and you're pushing yourself so hard. Once the baby gets here, I'm not sure how much help I'll be for a while and…"

Danny cut Richard off with a soft kiss.

"I'll be here to help when the baby gets here, I promise. I just…I really want this guy," Danny said.

"You'll find him, I know you will. I have faith in you," Richard told him.

Danny smiled a little, but before he could reply, his phone rang. He sighed and opened it, giving his husband an apologetic look. Richard just touched his cheek in return, and went back to trying to bribe Charlie into eating.

Danny listened for a few moments to the caller, then jumped to his feet.

"I'm on my way!"

Richard looked at his husband as Danny knocked his chair back in his rush to rise.

"We have a suspect, baby. This might be it. I gotta go. I'll call you, I promise." Danny pressed a kiss to Richard's temple, and hurried out of the house.

Richard watched him go and sent a silent prayer up once again for his husband's safety and sanity as he worked this case.

"Damn it. I'm telling you Steve, this is not our guy." Danny was tugging at his hair as he paced around the 5-0 quarters.

"He confessed, Danny. And he has motive. He was a slave whose own baby was taken and sold. It might have cracked him," Steve argued. He looked doubtful though, and Danny knew his partner was as suspicious as he was.

"Steven. Look at that guy. He's afraid of his own shadow. He doesn't have it in him to kill anyone."

"Hey guys, look at this…"

Steve and Danny headed over the computer table where Chin was working, and Steve frowned as Danny huffed.

"I found this guy's records. His name is Casey Smith. He's owned by a Mark Davis. According to this, he suffered a back injury about 10 years ago that left him with partial paralysis in his arms. He couldn't possibly have done this," Chin sighed. He'd just confirmed everything they suspected.

They all turned to look at the frightened, tear streaked creature sitting in holding. He had crept into 5-0 that morning and asked to speak to Detective Williams and his partner. As soon as he was introduced to Steve, he stuttered out a confession for the slave murders.

But Danny had taken one look at the broken man in front of him, and he knew he wasn't looking at a killer. The question still remained however, of why he had confessed to a crime they now knew he could not possibly have committed.

"Look at that collar mark. Maybe he thought prison would be better than returning to his master?" Chin suggested.

"Maybe. But slaves don't take the initiative like that. At least not when they're as broken as this guy is," Danny replied.

"Danny, we should call Dr. Manamea. He got through to Richard. Maybe he can get through to this guy," Steve said.

"Steve, he worked with Richard for months," Chin pointed out.

"Yeah, but he might be able to pick up clues from this guy's behavior that we're missing," Danny told him. "I'll call him right now."

Danny opened his phone and dialed, and he watched the trembling, shivering, wreck sitting in their holding cell. His gut told him that this guy was the key to breaking this case wide open. Now the only question was how.

"You were wonderful, Grace. You played a great game."

Richard sighed with relief as he turned the key to the front door and pushed it open. A gush of cool, refrigerated air washed over him as he did, and he closed his eyes and basked in it for a moment. It was such a welcome break from the intense humidity of their island home.

"Don't forget to take care of the alarm, Papa," Grace reminded him, bouncing her soccer ball on her knee as she walked into the house.

"Oh boy…that would be bad, wouldn't it?" Richard chuckled. "Here, could you take your brother in while I do that?"

Grace took Charlie's little hand in hers and they headed toward the living room as Richard opened the key panel for the alarm system. He started to punch in the number to disarm it, when he noticed that the LED screen was blank, and dark. He tapped a few buttons, trying to find the problem, but the small panel was dead. Richard's stomach sank within him, and fear suddenly gripped him.

He hurried as fast as his pregnant body would allow toward the living room and his children. Grace looked up in surprised as Richard stumbled into the room.

"Papa?"

"Grace, get your brother, and come with me right now. We're going to see your Daddy. Hurry, sweetheart, don't worry about getting his shoes, just come!" Richard cried.

Grace obeyed quickly, her small face frightened. Richard took his children's hands, and just as they stepped into the entryway, the front door shut, and Richard nearly screamed when he saw the man who still haunted his nightmares standing behind it.

"Take Charlie, Gracie! Run! Get him out of here!" Richard tried to shove his daughter and son behind him, and Thomas Garmen just laughed.

"Step one foot away from your so-called Papa, Gracie, and I will shoot him right in the stomach." Garmen promised.

Grace paused for a moment, indecision warring with determination on her face. As frightened as she was, she wanted with all her heart to protect her Papa.

"Grace! GO!" Richard cried.

But it was too late. Garmen had started to move, and he shoved Richard to the floor as he grabbed Grace and Charlie. Grace screamed, and Garmen shook her.

"Shut up, you little brat!"

Charlie was struggling hard, and he suddenly sank his little teeth into Garmen's hand. Richard's former owner howled, and let go of Grace long enough to backhand the toddler. As soon as he did, Richard grabbed the girl, and shoved her toward the kitchen with a frantic whisper.

"Run baby! Please! Call your Daddy!"

This time Grace obeyed. She was opening her cell phone as she moved, and she almost made it, before a huge hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her back.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Richard rushed forward, and hammered his fists against Garmen's back as he threw Grace to the floor.

Garmen whirled, rage on his features, and backhanded Richard hard enough to knock him to his knees. Grace and Charlie were both screaming now, and Richard gathered them to him, and glared up at his former master.

"My husband will kill for you this," he promised.

"Your husband won't be able to find me, or you, or them, you filthy little whore. Now get up, and get those brats, and move." Garmen ordered.

That was the moment Danny noticed something. Garmen had threatened them with a gun, but he had yet to actually see one. And he remembered something Danny had told him. Never go with an abductor if you can help it. Fight to stay in your own space, where things are familiar.

"No. My children and I are staying right here" Richard clambered to his feet, keeping his crying children behind him. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."

Garmen looked stunned for a moment. Then he stepped closer to Richard.

"I am going to beat that brat out of you, then watch you bleed out, just like I did to the others," he growled.

Richard took a step closer as well, and raised his fists, praying he didn't tremble.

"You know the difference between them and me, you son of a bitch? They were poor, frightened children. I'm a free man, and I know how to defend myself."

Garmen threw his back to laugh, and Richard saw his moment. He used every ounce of strength and flexibility he had left, and kneed his old master as hard as he could in the crotch. A small part of his mind got an immense amount of satisfaction from finally getting to return a little of the hurt Garmen had caused him, but Richard didn't pause to enjoy it.

Instead, as his former owner writhed and cursed on the floor, Richard grabbed his children and headed up the stairs to Danny's office. He wished with every fiber of his being he could simply run outside, but he knew how foolish that would that would be, and Garmen was still between him and the front door. So Richard headed up the stairs as fast he could. He knew Danny had a gun in his office, and a strong lock on the door.

As soon as they were inside the office, Richard slammed the door shut, and locked it. Then he shoved a chair under the handle, and hurried Grace and Charlie into the closet.

"You two sit down and stay hidden, you hear me?" Richard ordered.

Grace nodded and held her crying brother tightly.

Richard reached up, and grabbed the gun safe off the closet shelf, and typed in the code to open it. As soon the lid sprang up, he reached inside and lifted the gun. It was loaded, and he turned off the safety.

He looked at his children one more time.

"Grace, you lock the door behind me, okay? Do not open if unless it's someone you know on the other side," Richard told her.

"Papa, I don't want you to go!" Grace cried.

"I know, Gracie. I'm sorry. But I can't leave him down there. He might set the house on fire, or try to hurt your Daddy when he gets home. Hide in the closet again as soon as you lock the door," Richard said.

Graced just nodded this time, tears streaking her cheeks. Charlie kept crying for his Papa, and Richard's heart clenched as he kissed his little son and carefully opened the door.

Richard stepped out into the hallway, and waited for a moment until he heard the lock click. Then he made his way downstairs, wishing he was more agile. When he got to the spot where his former master fell, Garmen was gone. Richard choked a little then, and headed carefully toward the kitchen. When he stepped in, he caught the movement out of the corner of his eye that saved his life. The pregnant man stumbled away from the knife that was coming toward him, and he pointed the gun in his hand at Thomas Garmen.

"Go ahead, you little whore. But you won't do it. You know better. I own you." Garmen snarled, stepping closer.

Richard cocked the gun.

Garmen stopped in his tracks, shock on his face.

"No one owns me. I choose to be with my husband because he is a good man and I love him. But it is my choice. I have those now. And I choose to blow your head off for all those poor boys you killed, and for all the miserable years of agony you caused me." Richard's voice was perfectly calm, and Garmen suddenly dropped the knife in his hands, and stepped back.

"Y…you can't shoot me…I'm unarmed!" Garmen told him.

"I don't care," Richard replied.

"Baby! Don't!"

Richard glanced over, and there was Danny. Steve and Chin were slowly entering the room, and circling Garmen.

"He killed those boys, Danny. He tortured me. He deserves to die," Richard said.

"I know he does, baby. But that's not up to us. If you kill this asshole, they might take you from me. Please…put the gun down. I can't lose you, Richard," Danny pled.

Richard's shoulders slumped. He turned the safety back on, and handed the gun to Steve. Danny grabbed him and pulled him close, and the pregnant man began to tremble.

"I wanted to kill him," Richard whispered.

"I wanted to let you," Danny whispered back.

Richard was quiet in his arms for a minute, then he straightened up quickly.

"Oh my God! Gracie and Charlie are hiding in your office!" Richard told him.

"On it," Kono said, hurrying out of the room.

A few moments later, an angry little voice could be heard.

"NO NO, AN' KOKO! WAN' MINE PAPA!" Charlie screamed.

Richard and Danny both hurried out to the living room and soon the small family sat on the couch, holding each other.

"I was so scared, Danno." Grace whispered.

"I know, Monkey. But you're safe now." Danny promised.

"And she was so brave. She took care of Charlie while I looked for that…that animal," Richard told Danny, stroking Grace's hair as he spoke.

Grace just gave a deep sigh, and burrowed closer to her fathers.

"I bite'd dat bad boy!" Charlie reported.

Danny cracked up and ruffled his son's hair.

"That's my boy! Let's hope he goes septic," Danny said.

"Sepic!" Charlie agreed loudly.

"Danny, how did you know to come help us? I didn't think Grace had time to call you," Richard asked.

Danny gave a grim smile, and settled back on the couch, pulling Richard and his children close as he did.

"Thomas Garmen isn't as smart as he thinks he is."

_An hour earlier_

"_Any luck, Doc?" _

_Steve and Danny looked up as Chin spoke. Dr. Manamea was stepping out of the holding cell with Kono, grief on his face._

"_Well, I can tell you that poor man never killed anyone. He has been subjected to horrible abuse. He was bought by his new owner about a year ago, and they moved here. They've lived in secrecy during that time, but Casey doesn't know why. This morning, they got up, and he was told to come here and turn himself in. He does feel an enormous amount of guilt, by the way. He says his owner used him to lure the slaves into his car. Then he was forced to watch as they were murdered," Dr. Manamea reported. The Samoan man looked sick as he spoke, and Danny shook his head in disgust._

"_That's why he gave a convincing confession. He blames himself, so it sounded like the truth," Danny said. _

"_Can you get a description of his owner?" Steve asked._

"_He said he's tall, dark haired, and he has an accent," the doctor replied. _

"_An accent?" Danny's stomach dropped. "What kind of accent?"_

"_Casey said he has a drawl."_

"_Oh, God." _

_Danny ran to the computer table and frantically typed. Soon a photo of Thomas Garmen filled one of the screens. When it came up, there was a wail of fear from the holding cell, and when those gathered turned to look, Casey Smith was huddled under the bunk, covering his head with his hands and sobbing. _

"_Garmen is Mark Davis! He must have sent Casey in today to distract us." Steve cursed. _

_Danny was already running. He only had one thought on his mind. _

_My family. I have to get to my family. _

Richard lay his head on Danny's shoulder, and shivered a little.

"And you did, love. You saved us."

"You saved yourself, baby. I am so proud of you," Danny told him.

"Papa kneed that jerk really hard, Danno." Grace pointed a finger down, and giggled.

Danny grinned at Richard and raised an eyebrow.

"It felt pretty good, too." Richard admitted.

"I believe you. Baby, we need to clean up the scene and question everyone. Are you feeling up to that?" Danny asked.

Richard nodded, and swallowed.

"I…I think so."

"I'll be right next to you. " Danny promised.

The rest of the evening passed in a haze of questions and statements, and by the end, Charlie was laying with this head on Richard's belly, sobbing, and Grace had hidden her face in her Papa's lap, refusing to speak any more police, even her Uncle Steve.

"I think we have what we need," Steve said quietly. "They've been through enough today. We're just making it worse," he told Chin.

"Yeah, and Danny's about to blow his stack," Chin added.

It did seem like a distinct possibility. Danny was glowering as he tried to soothe his children and comfort Richard. The uniformed officers were giving the small family a wide berth. They had proper respect for Danny's legendary temper. Steve headed over and knelt in front of them.

"Hey brah, we have what we need. We're gonna get out of your hair. If you need anything, you let us know," he said quietly.

Danny nodded, relief on his face. He glanced over at his exhausted husband and crying children, and made a decision.

"Steve, I'm starting my paternity leave now. I'll come in to help tie up loose ends on this case, but they need me more," he stated.

"Sounds good, man," Steve agreed.

The next morning, Danny kissed Richard awake. Charlie and Grace were in the bed with their fathers, and both children were still sleeping deeply.

"Baby, I'm gonna go into headquarters long enough to finish up on this case. I'll be home by noon." Danny whispered.

Richard nodded, and stroked Danny's cheek.

"Please be careful, Daniel," Richard whispered.

Danny smiled and pressed one last soft kiss to Richard's lips.

"Home by noon, okay?" Danny repeated. "Call me if you need anything."

Richard watched his husband leave and sighed, letting his eyes drift shut again. It was such a relief to know that they were finally safe, and that Thomas Garmen couldn't hurt them anymore. He reached for his children, and pulled them close as he's pregnant tummy would allow before he let himself drift back to sleep.

"So how's Rich this morning?"

Steve handed Danny a cup of coffee as they headed to central processing.

"He and the kids were still sleeping when I left. But he's worn out. The last few months have been hard on him. Which is why I wanna get this taken care of with a quickness. I need to get home to him and the kids," Danny answered, taking the coffee with a nod of thanks.

"Garmen's already lawyered up. But Casey's testimony is pretty damning. Not to mention the fact that he confessed to Richard in our hearing," Steve told him.

"He knows that Hawaii treats murdered slaves as full citizens, huh?" Danny snorted.

"That would be my guess. If he was in Alabama, he might be able to get off with a slap on the wrist and hefty fee for these murders. He won't be getting so lucky here," Steve said grimly.

"Which might be why he's seeking a change of venue," Chin tossed a file on the computer table as he spoke, looking disgusted.

Danny gave an incredulous laugh.

"On what grounds?" he asked.

"His eel of a lawyer claims he can't get a fair trial here in Hawaii because the case is too well known in the media," Chin answered.

Steve scoffed as he picked up the file and scanned it.

"Yeah, no judge is gonna be willing to do that. People are pissed off about these murders, and they're screaming for blood," he stated.

"That's the same argument Garmen's lawyer is making," Chin told him ruefully.

"Garmen's lawyer can kiss my white…" Danny was cut off by his cell phone ringing. He dug it out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Hey Gracie, what'cha need?" Danny went white as he listened. "Okay, how far apart are they?" Danny was digging for his keys now, and running. Steve and Chin followed close behind him. "Okay, Grace, put your Papa on the phone." Danny was barreling through their headquarters now, and running across the parking lot. "Richard? Listen to me, _do not drive yourself to the hospital._" Danny made an exasperated noise as he climbed into the passenger seat of his car, and tossed Steve the keys. Steve grinned at Chin, and slid into the driver's seat as Chin laughed and headed back inside. "Because baby, what if you have a contraction on the interstate, or your water breaks? Just wait. Steve and I are coming, and he'll stay with the kids while we go and get that baby out of you. Okay?" Danny listened for a minute, and relief crossed his face. "Okay. I love you too. I'll be home in less than ten minutes. Bye sweetheart." Danny looked at Steve. "Hit the lights."

Steve grinned bigger, and the red and blues flashed as he wove in and out of traffic at breakneck speed. For once, Danny didn't complain about his partner's driving. He just held on with grin determination, and willed them home quickly.

When they pulled up in front of the house, they found Richard sitting on the porch swing with Grace and Charlie, rocking slowly, his head laid back and his eyes closed. Danny ran up the path, calling his husband's name, as he went.

Richard looked up when he heard Danny's voice and smiled softly. Danny was clearly in panic mode, and his husband knew there was no point in trying to talk until Danny stopped.

"Are you okay baby? How close together are they? Has your water broken? Did you call the OB? DO you have your bag? It's two weeks early! Why is that kid coming so early?" Danny panted a little then, and Richard's lips twitched.

"I'm fine, Daniel. They're 7 minutes apart, and my water broke a few minutes ago. The doctor is waiting and two weeks isn't considered early. If I had to guess, I would say all the stress of yesterday caught up to us," Richard answered calmly.

Danny paused.

"I'm freaking out," he stated.

"Maybe a little," Richard agreed.

"I…I just love you so damned much," Danny told him quietly.

Tears filled Richard's eyes then, and he held a hand out to his husband.

"I know. I love you too. Just stay near me, and I'll be fine," he promised.

"Danno, you better take Papa to the hospital. I want my sister born there, and not on the front porch." Grace grinned a little at her father.

Danny grinned back and ruffled her hair.

"Yeah yeah yeah. We're going kid. Help Uncle Steve with Charlie. You know he's a little feeble," Danny instructed.

"I'm right here, Danny. I mean, right next to you. Where you know I'm gonna hear a remark like that. So really? You really had to go there?" Steve asked, looking wounded.

"Danny—" Richard grabbed his husband's hand and moaned softly.

"Okay baby. Breathe for me; slow breath in, slowly out. I'm right here. You can do this." Danny soothed.

When the pain ended, Danny started hustling Richard to the car, pausing once to look at his children and Steve.

"You got this Grace -Face?" he checked.

Grace gave him two thumbs up while Steve threw his hands in the air. Charlie was already starting to toddle toward the fence, and Grace pointed him out to Steve. He cursed and chased the little boy as Danny and Richard pulled away laughing. Danny held his husband's hand as they drove, and he thought to himself,

_This is gonna be a good day. _

As it turned out, Danny was only partly right. The next several hours were long and painful for Richard. Danny stayed right beside him, and wiping his forehead, kissing his cheeks, and feeding him ice chips. After nine hours, Richard looked at Danny and grabbed his shirt, pulling him close.

"When this is over, I am going to do terrible things to you. I haven't decided what things yet, but they will be painful. I love you, so I thought I should warn you," he panted out.

Danny blinked a little in surprise.

"Fair enough babe. Let's just get this baby born first, okay?"

"Fine. I really—Daaannnyy…" Richard was reaching for him again, and Danny gave his husband his hands and spoke softly to him, encouraging him, and reminding him how much he loved him. "Danny. I want drugs. I was wrong. Natural is bad. I want a c-section. I want to be done."

"Okay, baby. I'll call the nurse," Danny was hitting the call button as he spoke, and it wasn't long until the nurse came in, their OB in tow.

"Hey guys! I brought you a visitor," the nurse chirped.

Danny could see the comment his husband wanted to make, so he spoke quickly.

"Look, he's exhausted. He wants the drugs and a c-section," Danny told them.

"Oh no!" The nurse looked dismayed as she spoke, and Danny gritted his teeth as she kept talking "You don't mean that, Papa Richard! Natural is the best way!"

"You can go and—Oh God…Danny…" Richard was reaching for Danny once more, and the cop frowned a little.

"He said he wants the drugs, so get the damned drugs!" he said as he held Richard's hands. "God, these are really close together. Can't you do something?"

The doctor came over now, snapping a pair of gloves over his freshly washed hands.

"Yeah, that's what I wondered. Usually by the time Papas and Mamas start wanting drugs, it's too late," he explained sympathetically. "But I'll check you Richard, and if we can get you the good stuff, we will."

Richard just wept as the doctor checked him, and his exhausted face fell further when he saw the look on his OB's face.

"Richard, your birth canal is fully open, and the baby's head is totally engaged. I'm sorry. It's too late for drugs or a c-section now. But the good news is, you're almost done," the doctor reported.

"Danny…I can't do this. Make him give me the drugs…please…" Richard begged.

"Oh Richard, I wish I could. But you'll be done soon. And you'll be able to see our baby," Danny reminded him.

"Richard, I know it's intense. But remember how difficult the recovery was from your first c-section? This is going to be so much easier to heal from," the nurse told him kindly.

Richard shut his eyes as he remembered waking from the birth of his twins, and had burning pain in his belly, empty arms with no babies to hold, and a broken heart. He gulped down a sob and reached for Danny.

"I need you to hold me," he pled.

Danny slid into the bed behind him, and had Richard rest between his legs and against his chest.

"I am right here Richard. When this is over, we will hold our baby, and never let her go, I promise," Danny whispered.

"I thought you wanted a boy?" Richard managed to smile a little as he spoke.

"I just want our healthy baby. I don't care about anything else," Danny said, kissing his cheek.

"Richard, there's another contraction coming," the nurse warned, watching the monitor.

"Richard, this time I want you to push if you feel the urge, okay? Chin to your chest, and curl in. Danny, you can help him with that." the doctor instructed.

Richard and Danny both nodded. Richard was soon moaning in pain again, but this time he leaned forward, and bore down for all he was worth. Danny stroked his back as he worked, and marveled at the strength and power he felt in his husband's slight body as he birthed their baby.

"You're doing so good, baby. Keep pushing," Danny urged.

Richard just groaned and sucked in another breath before he pushed again. The doctor grinned up at him as he strained.

"Richard, you keep this up, and this baby is going to be here before you know it. You're doing great!"

Richard still didn't respond. He was totally focused on his efforts.

When the contraction ended, he fell back against Danny and closed his eyes. He was too tired to cry, and too determined to stop. When the next pain came, Richard was ready, and he once again, he threw his whole body into the job before him, and pushed as hard as he could. He registered voices, and his husband's touch. He felt it when Danny cried on his neck between pushes, apologizing for his pain, but it was all secondary to the demands of his body. Days, months, years could have passed, but Richard didn't sense time anymore. He lived from one push to the next, until the doctors voice spoke up, and someone was pulling his hands down.

"Richard! Your baby is coming! Help us out here!"

The doctor laughed, and Richard closed his hands around a wet, slippery, little torso. Then the pain stopped, and he had a tiny, squalling baby in his arms. He closed his hands over the tiny person on his chest, and looked down in amazement.

"Danny…I had a baby…" he whispered.

Danny laughed and cried all at once, and kissed Richard's cheek.

"You sure did, baby. And he's gorgeous," Danny said softly.

"He's a boy?" Richard was so tired, he hadn't even bothered to check.

"He sure is. He looks like you, too," Danny added, wrapping both of them in his arms.

Richard looked down at his little son as the nurse dried him off, and the baby rooted around for a nipple. He then helped the infant latch on, and gave a hiccupping sigh as he sucked.

"He has blonde hair. Just like you," Richard sounded satisfied by that, and Danny laughed softly.

"He's the perfect mix of us," Danny observed.

"He is." Richard lay back against Danny. "Thank you Danny."

"For what, baby? You gave me another son today. I should be thanking you," Danny protested.

"But you saved me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any of this," Richard said.

Danny sighed, and kissed Richard's shoulder as he watched his son nurse over his husband's shoulder.

"Baby, I was just as lost as you were. We were both saved by love," he whispered.

Richard turned his head and caught Danny's eyes. They were wet with tears, and so blue he thought his heart might break. They kissed, and it was a little awkward, and they were both sweaty, and sore, and exhausted.

But it was still perfect.

_One year later. _

"Alright, big boy…time for bed. Come here, Stevie."

Richard lifted his youngest into his arms, and settled back into the nursery rocking chair. Little Steven latched on to nurse, gifting his Papa with a sleepy smile as he did. Richard chuckled and kissed the soft puff of blonde hair that covered his head.

"You eat sleepy. Flirt tomorrow. So much like your Daddy," Richard whispered.

"He is a stunning kid."

Richard looked up and grinned at his husband.

"True. He's also a chatter box," he teased.

"Hey, I have a contribution to make," Danny retorted, putting a mock hurt look on his face.

"You certainly do," Richard chuckled. "Now are you going to tell me what's been worrying you all night?"

Danny sighed, and knelt down in front of his husband and youngest.

"You know me too well, baby."

"That's true. Now out with it," Richard urged.

"It's about Garmen."

Richard swallowed.

"Okay. I'm listening."

"Well, it seems the inmates at the Hawaii Correctional Facility got tired of him fighting the justice process. They delivered their own form of punishment last night…Garmen is dead, Richard. He was shanked 23 times," Danny watched Richard's face carefully as he spoke.

Richard looked an odd mix of relieved and sad.

"Poor Rebekah. She sold me to save me from him, you know."

Danny just nodded, waiting.

"She didn't deserve to lose her father that way. But…but I think this might be for the best. Now we're both free of him, and those boys he killed can rest in peace. I'm glad this is over. I don't really know how I wanted it to end, but I really wanted it done. Now it is," Richard sighed, and looked tired.

"Are you okay, baby?" Danny asked.

Richard smiled gently, and leaned close to Danny, touching their foreheads together, careful not to disrupt the nursing baby.

"Are you going to hold me tonight?" has whispered.

"You know it," Danny whispered back.

"Then I will be. Do you remember what you told me the day Steven was born?"

Danny gave a little half smile, and ran his knuckles over his husband's cheek with infinite tenderness.

"Something sappy about how we were saved by love?" he remembered.

Richard nodded and gave Danny a small kiss.

"It's still true. And as long as we love each other, I'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine. There can be Thomas Garmens that come and go, but if we're together, love will save us," Richard said softly.

Danny slid his hands into his husband's caramel hair, and brought their lips carefully together again. He didn't speak. He didn't need to.

After all, they had already been saved.


End file.
